The Soul Within
by Niveus
Summary: When even the world seems to move against him, it would be a miracle for anyone to see through his darkness and save him from evil. But one woman would go to the ends for him, and will. xxxREVISEDxxx
1. Where Is Your Heart Now?

The Soul Within  
Chapter 1 - Where Is Your Heart Now?  
Written by: Amber M

_Author's Note: Cha! This is my very first Tekken fic. Enjoy!_

* * *

Julia stared at the blank computer screen, in it seeing the dark images of that night, two years gone now. She only wished she could say it was something straight from a horror movie... but it _had_ been real. The cold of that night arose as she remembered seeing someone she cared about penetrated by so many screaming bullets; it made her breath hard to swallow, her skin crawl as if maggots squirmed among her very veins.

* * *

_Flash back_

It had been after suffering a defeat to Nina Williams, the deadly, professional assassin, when the sense of being watched grew stronger. There was an onlooker that had been watching the battle from afar. A gut feeling told Julia exactly who it was.

Rising to her feet from the stone ground washed in blood, Julia looked to the forestry, staring into the darkness. She found the strength to walk and cautiously made her way through the natural obstacles, pushing her way through shrubbery and weaving around jutting branches here and there. Sure enough Jin Kazama was amidst the shadows, tucked away behind an aged cedar tree, whose bristly boughs blocked the streaks of light beaming down from the pale moon. He lowered his head, but otherwise stood motionless. Julia sensed a quiet intensity that made her knees weak and her stomach turn uneasily.

The paused ended as she carefully stepped over the large twigs at her feet, nearing the young man she'd only met once before. A twig snapped and Julia could hear herself draw in a sharp gasp.

Jin hadn't flinched. But he turned his head slightly toward the young woman, catching but a piece of her image in the corner of his eye. He said, "Julia?" His voice was deep, laced with sadness beneath the wrapping of curiosity.

Julia had to mentally kick herself to speak. "Uh... Jin..." she replied lamely, feeling that her early lunch might inevitably make its way back up her throat at any minute. And it wasn't just from being unmercifully pounded in her stomach twice over (from two, coincidentally, back-to-back battles) but also this awkwardness of not being able to even imagine, in the least bit, what this guy was thinking. It was all quite odd. To think she would meet him again here...

The last time they'd met was for an unofficial match, two days ago, within an ironically peaceful village. It had been declared a draw by the judgment of Jin and Julia, but what happened was that they were "interrupted". Their attention had been diverted to the common denizens, fearful of an ominous monstrosity fitting the description of Ogre lurking in their forest. And so the two ran to check into the story, and found nothing... nothing but a handful of massacred people. There wasn't really anything either of them could have done at the time but return to the tournament. They went without facing each other again, until now.

That battle had lasted a considerable amount of time, due to clumsiness or maybe a strange desire to prolong the presence of one another, Julia wasn't sure. She came to know that he had an incredible power cooped up inside of him -- so, it must've been something of the latter.

The silence was growing immensely awkward.

Julia dropped her eyes to her feet, her boots caught in the meshes of the coarse grass. "I guess," she nervously muttered, "We won't be fighting again -- any time soon..."

"I'm sorry."

"Huh?" Julia looked up with a confused stare.

Jin turned around to face her. "That you lost."

"Oh," Julia looked back to the ground, feeling a bit relieved by his "normal" tone of voice. "Well, I'm not going to leave empty-handed though," she hesitated, lifting her gaze to the silhouettes in the distance to her side, "I'll find my mother."

Jin took a moment, laying his eyes upon the beautiful girl. The moonlight graced her toned and lovely body, and lay heavenly strokes to her angelic face, which Jin could only dream about since their first encounter. He shook his head, realizing that he was beginning to stare. "You said we won't be fighting 'any time soon'?" Julia nodded, looking back up into his dark eyes. "Does that mean you intend to put me down?"

"Put you down?"

"You know, fight me until I fall to my knees, begging for mercy. I am a Mishima after all."

"R-right," Julia stuttered, shuffling her boots around nervously.

Jin said with a little smirk on his face, "What did you think?"

"Uhg, don't get the wrong idea," Julia mumbled and got back to his first question. "I don't _have _to bear a grudge for you. You _are _a Mishima, but thus far, you've done nothing to personally harm me so I've no reason to hate you." She quickly added, "But... it doesn't mean I _like_ you, either!"

Jin smiled, laughing quietly.

"What were you doing out here anyway?" Julia said in a slight whisper.

"Julia..."

"Huh?" she said, startled by the sudden softness in his voice.

He slowly neared her, stepping over a rooted tree limb. He stood but a foot from her, gazing deeply into her honey-brown eyes, how warm and compassionate they were.

Julia faltered for words, her lower lip quivering a bit as she tried to grasp the frantic thoughts racing through her mind. He began to lean into her, his lips coming closer to hers. Then he stopped, an inch from her face. For a long moment they simply stood there in the night, staring into each other's eyes, hopelessly confused.

Jin wanted to kiss her, but this nagging feeling that something was wrong kept poking at him; it was so irritating that Jin half-expected to turn and find some freakish clown behind him with a pointy stick in hand. It wasn't anything about her... It was this particular night that was in question. It was instinct damning the mood.

Julia had had this feeling as well, though it was not as powerful as Jin's was, and so she was left with a longing that she hadn't known about until he _almost_ kissed her.

Confusion was soon followed by an extreme awkwardness. Julia was the first to feel this and began to glance about herself, looking to make an exit.

Jin put a hand to the back of his neck, finding that his skin was clammy. He saw that Julia was about to walk out of his life, possibly forever. He went after her.

Just at the border of the forest once again, he caught her arm, grabbing onto her wrist gently. "Julia," he said, not sure of what he could possibly say now. Julia looked at him, her brows creasing into a frown. "I..." quickly, he searched and searched his mind, finding no perfect words to say that could make her understand. All he could come up with was, "I hope you find your mother," he said with a little sigh. Half-heartedly, he let her arm fall back to her side.

Julia bit her lip, turning away with a weak nod of the head. She walked off.

And then ran.

Later that night, Julia found herself slinking amidst the site of the final match of the tournament, veiled by the shadows of the night. The moon stood in a dull twilight devoid of a single star high above the building atop a cliff overlooking an extensive forest, though the cliff itself was parched beyond repair. She had followed Jin, although she wasn't completely sure why. Perhaps because it was impossible to ignore the sadness in his eyes, and the feel that he had remorsefully forced himself to let her go. She found a good hiding spot among the debris, with a pretty good view into the building.

After the grueling Ogre and True Ogre fights, it seemed that Jin had won but then...

There was Heihachi.

Oh, how Julia hated the wretched man. She hadn't really gotten an opinion of him from Jin, but judging from the way Jin so trustingly looked to the old guy now, she could see that they were, at least, somewhat close.

Julia began to hear the pitter-patter of multiple people, rushing they were.

Before she knew it, there was that dreadful sound of bullets, the sound of Jin's pained cries. She peeked around the corner, taking her shaking hands from her ears and then seeing Heihachi standing behind a group of suited up soldiers. They were surrounding Jin's limp and bloodied body.

Julia fell back, crawling backwards as tears welled in her eyes. Jin was... dead?

But then...

_End Flash Back _

* * *

Julia pulled her fists to her chest, looking down at the keyboard with a tear in her eye. He had black wings... and demonic red eyes... That young man she had seen in the forest... did he die? And then this demonic creature replaced him afterward? After he had flown away, Julia submerged again into the shadows, making sure not to be seen by Heihachi, although she direly wished that she could destroy him while he was weakened -- but she felt it wasn't the time. Instead, she searched the area, eventually finding Michelle, her dear mother.

It seemed like centuries had passed since that night. Often had she closed her eyes to find Jin there, gazing into her eyes so affectionately.

Julia faintly heard one of her colleagues coming down the hallway and into her room.

"Mail, Julia," the young man said.

Julia half-turned in her chair, snapping out of that trance. "Thanks Michael," she said, taking the few envelopes into her hands.

Michael smiled, turned and left, still with other deliveries to hand out, and then Julia scanned over the print upon the envelopes.

She picked up her mug of warm tea, taking a sip when she found that the third letter was in a foreign language...

* * *

_End Note: That's it for now... I might lengthen or add/change a few things in this chapter sometime. You got some thoughts, comments? Please share. TY :)_


	2. Lady Wolf

The Soul Within  
Chapter 2 - Lady Wolf  
Written by: Amber M

_Author's Note: Haha, the second chapter! I wasn't actually sure if I would get more up... due to my lack of ideas. (pouts) _

_Thank you guys for the reviews! I was so happy! _

_

* * *

_"You're going to another tournament?" a young, contralto-pitched voice barked. 

Julia sighed roughly -- having heard the same thing all morning. "Yes, RILA. I have to!"

"Wha--" Rila stammered, squeezing her fingers into fists.

"I have to retrieve that reforestation data or else--"

"Yeah, yeah, the land will die... I _know_. You told me that..."

"Then you have to understand!"

"But last time you almost got killed right? Both you AND Michelle!"

Julia whirled around, stomping over to a dark brown suitcase near the plain white door. Rila followed, anger flaring in her light coppery eyes.

Julia hauled up the suitcase by her side and reached for the brass doorknob, pausing to say, "I just have to, okay..."

Rila paused, narrowing her eyes in suspicion. She eased back and began to chuckle. "Oh, I see... Is there a certain hottie that you haven't told me about?"

Julia looked down, solemn in her eyes. "I don't know if he's alive," she whispered.

Rila fell hush, staring with her eyes wide open. "Oh."

"I'll return," Julia said more brightly, "How could I desert these lands that I've worked so hard to save from complete ruin?"

Rila nodded, with a pondering look upon her face. Julia didn't like it. Whenever she looked like that, she was surely plotting something mischievous (or just plain stupid) in that head of hers. Julia then realized just what she was thinking and caught a touch of fright, "No! No, no, no -- Don't even!"

Rila grinned, "I AM curious to see this Japan. It's one country I have yet to see..."

"Uhg! There are many countries you haven't seen! Go to one of them!"

"Ah -- Don't be ridiculous! Trying to skip out on quality time with your greatest and bestest friend in the whole entire world!?"

"You really should spend a little more time with 'Webster', Rila," Julia muttered wryly, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. She sighed again, knowing that Rila was the most stubborn person she'd ever met and couldn't possibly be talked out of anything her mind was set on.

Rila rushed away, only a second later coming out with a bulky gray suitcase.

Julia put a hand to her forehead, shaking her head at the ground in disbelief. "You planned on coming all along?" Julia sighed.

"Well -- You see, I've noticed a pattern in our relationship. You win arguments being all sensible and smart. And _I_ totally disregard those minor details and go along with my idea anyway," Rila said with a cheerful grin. "Get a move on! We don't wanna miss our flight!"

Julia stood, still disbelieving the tenacity of this Rila girl. Noticing that Rila had already flown out the door, she quickly ran after her, shouting, "Wait? Do you even have a ticket?"

* * *

Arriving in Japan, both Julia and Rila hopped onto a cab, en route to the hotel many of the tournament fighters had checked into called "Sleeping Dragon", a moderately large, middle-class type of building. The exterior was a sandy brown with average square windows, each with small, tainted steel balconies beneath them -- not particularly interesting, lacking everything that attracted tourists. 

"So, this is the _grand_ Sleeping Dragon?" Rila raised a brow, obviously having expected something else. "I'm no stranger to spun truths but this?"

"You booked yourself a room?" Julia asked suspiciously.

"Well, yeah... You didn't expect me to sleep on the floor, did you?"

Julia crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently.

"O -- kay... I might have skimmed your book planner a little."

Julia sighed in resignation and picked up her suitcase from the sidewalk.

The two went in the building, pushing through double glass doors and walking into the spacious lounge and service area. There was an old man with graying hair and circular glasses standing behind the front desk.

Julia approached to begin signing in while Rila surveyed the area.

She looked through the glass door and upon the semi-busy street. Across from the street, she saw various small shops, including a bistro. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the neon foods stuck to the windows of the bistro. She rushed over to busy Julia, frowning as she flipped through the papers one by one.

"Hey, Julia. Will you make sure my suitcase gets to my room?"

"Hm? Why?" Julia half-turned to find Rila hurrying away. "Wait! You have to sign for your room first!" Rila halted, and sprinted back. She scribbled down her signature and turned again, straight out the doors just like that. Julia shook her head and turned to the man behind the front desk, excepting the keys he had quietly placed on the counter. He nodded and then Julia picked up the keys, pocketing them, and then the two bags -- hers and Rila's.

Before she headed for the gold-painted elevator, she turned once more to the man behind the desk. She hesitantly asked, "Um, Sir? You speak English?"

The man flinched, as if he hadn't had anyone talk to him directly in such a long time. "Yes?" he said, folding his hands behind his back.

"Have you seen... a young man: black hair, dark brown eyes, a muscular physique... um tall..." Julia tried to think of more accurate descriptions to speak of but it had been so long since she'd actually seen him in person that it was hard to do so. "Answers to Jin..."

The man scrunched his face up, puzzling over the description. His mouth curled and then he tersely said, "Ah... Maybe. I can't be sure. Seems like I've heard that name before," he paused and then quickly added, "But I can't look at the names on the list of the residents --Confidential."

"Oh," Julia frowned, "I understand. Thank you," she then bowed and went for the elevators again, feeling a knotting in her stomach at the thought that he (the Jin she knew) might actually be dead.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Lucky Duck Bistro, Rila was drooling over the hot plates stacking up on the shelves behind the counter. She hadn't eaten anything on the plane ride over -- due in part to the fact that high altitudes made her nauseous. The customers in front of her were taking a painfully long time to make up their decisions, wondering if it should be the white sauce or the red sauce, the noodles or the rice. Rila was starting to curse under her breath when finally the couple settled on a _compromise_ and then went away to a vacant table. 

Rila hopped up to the desk, all ready with an order.

The woman spoke in Japanese.

"Huh?" Rila perplexed and then remembered that she was in Japan.

"Oh, you speak English?" the woman excitedly stated, her English a little rusty.

Rila nodded enthusiastically, relieved she wouldn't end up getting something strange like fried octupus legs. She quickly pointed to a hot food of plate toward the end of the metallic shelf and said, "I want whatever that it, please!"

The woman nodded, "Ah, yes! The Oyako-donburi! Good choice! Good choice! Coming right up!"

"Oh and can that be 'to go'?"

"Go? No go! Your food be ready in a moment! Have seat!" Then the woman relayed the order to the cooks behind the shelves.

Leaving a stammering Rila. She pulled at her hair when the woman busied herself with making tea or something before hurrying over to the previous couple's table to serve them.

"You should've picked up one of these," a voice said.

Rila glanced at the booklet tapping against her shoulder before snatching it and whirling around. She narrowed her eyes at the suspicous man tucked away beneath the hood of a sport's jacket. Then warily she opened the booklet, finding translations of simple Japanese phrases for tourists. "Hmph. And what makes you think I want this?" Rila stated, waving the book in the man's face. "What, are you the tourist's fairy godmother or something?"

She heard a grunt. Instead of just leaving it at that, the man looked toward the service lady as she returned to the desk and spoke a quick verse of fluent Japanese.

Rila quickly looked at the woman, seeing a smiling and nodding face aimed her way. "Huh?" Not a second later, Rila's order was placed in take out containers and then a brown paper bag.

"That be 600 yen!" the lady declared perkily.

Surprised, Rila fished in her coat pocket for the alternated currency Julia had given her. She pooled some in her palm and realized she didn't know how much 600 yen was! Then the stranger_, still _breathing over her shoulder, kindly plucked out some of the coin and handed it over to the lady. "Alright! That's it!" Rila suddenly growled, hip checking the unusually helpful stranger. With a friendly smile, she accepted her receipt and food from the lady, scowled at the stranger, and then walked out with her chin held high.

As she arrived at the stoplight, she gladly switched her attention back to her eatings, rummaging through the bag hugged to her chest to pick at some rice. Her return to blissful unawarness was halted yet again...

"Ahg! You again? What the hell d'you want?" she barked when the hooded strange casually caught up to her.

"You forgot this," he muttered, holding out that tourist book to her.

Her eyebrow twitched irritably. "I told you, I don't. Want. That. Now, what the heck's with you? Are you _that _desperate for a girl's attention or what?"

His imposing build stiffened visibly. "That's not..." he returned weakly, clearly put in his place now.

Or so Rila thought. "Jeez! You're suppose to skiddadle! (sigh) Okay, you know, I wouldn't be so put off if you weren't hiding away like some freaky stalker or something. Why don't you tell me what you want? What's your name? Wait a second..." (the man grew stiffer if that was possible) "...I know! You're a fighter, right? In the Iron Fists Tournament? Is that it?"

"Uh..." the man hesitated. He seriously wondered what in the world caused him to approach this young woman in the first place. Then, he was reminded when that face flashed before his eyes again. Only after blinking did those honey brown eyes and angelic face disappear. This young woman with her rather nasty temperament somehow made him think of _Her_.

"Hey! Earth to what's your face! You don't need anymore reason to make me suspicious of you."

He lowered his head slightly, feeling so awkward he thought he knew the feeling of leper more than ever. "Forgive me."

"Eh? Bah, forget it. Come on," the girl said, inclining her head for him to follow when the light finally indicated it was safe to cross the street. Hesitantly he did so, driven by a faint hope in his being.

"Name's Rila by the way," Rila offered nonchalantly.

"Kazama Jin."

"Hm? Jin, eh? Okay, Jin. So I've made a few observations and... I've come to the conclusion that you ARE indeed a fighter. Help me out. On a scale of 1 to 10, where do you stand on the sexiness scale?"

Jin looked at her, alarmed. He didn't know what to make of that sly smile on the girl's cunning little face. To his chagrin, his face heated up when he realized he couldn't read into her intentions.

"Ah-ha! That settles it! You're gonna help me cheer up Julia! How can she mope with a sweet, sensitive hottie in her presence?" she seemed to say more to herself.

Jin was far too shocked to know what else Rila was plotting outloud while he vaguely followed her. What was he doing? No. No, it could not be _the _Julia. There was no way in--

"You should know, Changs can come off a little stubborn at first. But through some good old fashioned wooing, you'll do just fine!"

"Ch-Chang?"

Rila raised a confused brow. Then she smiled and said, "Yeah! Julia Chang. She's my friend, also here for the big tournie. Oh! Her match is today so you can only hang out with us till then. Wait, when's your match?"

"The... third round of matches today..." he said unsurely. His head was spinning. His stomach was twisting in knots. His entire body was stiff enough to snap in two or else the slightest breeze could tip him flat on his face and he'd shatter into a million pieces. He hardly knew how he got to this hotel entrance or who he was even talking to. Words tied up his tongue.

"That's cool. But now I wonder... Julia's been to one of these tournaments before... What about you? Maybe you even saw each other some time." Her features stretched in a mix of surprise and delight for some reason. Then Jin realized that his face must've been betraying the emotions swarming inside himself. "No way," Rila said breathlessly, "Holy mother of... Are you _that _guy? Damn, if that isn't a HUMUNGOUS coincidence!"

"She's really... here?" Jin managed to ask.

"Wow! She'll be so happy! I can't wait to show you to her!"

Jin flinched, his nerves jittering. "Wait, no! No, I-I can't..."

"Aw, come, come... You're just being shy! Let's go! I'll show you --"

Just then a man came stomping up. He brashly said, "Move" to the two blocking the entrance.

Jin and Rila turned their attention to the huge, gorilla-like bald guy towering over their heads.

Rila gritted her teeth and growled, "Ever heard of civility, you friggin' gorrilla?"

The man scowled, bulging his eyes out maniacally. "What-did-you-say, little girl?"

Her fingers started to claw into the paper bag, crushing in her embrace as she sneered up at the huge man. "Say. Please," she demanded.

"You know what?" he bellowed, ignoring Rila's words, "I wouldn't think of falling asleep at night if I were you, little girl! If you do--"

"Oh, don't worry! Judging from all that BULK on you, you're not all that capable of being sneaky!"

"I won't have to be!" the man bellowed, puffing out his chest, "'Cause when I bulldoze down your door, you'll have nowhere to run!"

Jin scowled, instantly disgusted. Marduk was already throwing off the vibes that exemplified everything Jin's mother had rightly kept him away from. To Jin, such a person disgraced his mother's beliefs in humanity. All the wrong strings were pulling taut. He calmly questioned, "What's your name?"

The man fixed his maniacal stare on Jin, "Oh, so you speak English?" he mocked.

"Your name," Jin repeated, a cut-throat expression befalling his face.

"Craig Marduk," he replied narcissistically, pounding his fists to his chest like a caveman. "And you better tell your woman to shut her trap or I'll mess up your face, pretty boy!"

Rila's eyes widened, ferocity taking her over. "Don't you dare think I need a man's protection just because I'm a woman! I can handle myself!" She dropped her bag to her feet, balling her hands into fists.

"Oooohh," Marduk teased.

Jin stepped over the bag, gently pushing Rila aside from the door. He said to Marduk, "Go before you get what you deserve."

"Is that a THREAT? Are you threatening me? ME?" Jin's silence was taken for a yes. "Ha! Whatever..." he muttered over his shoulder as he entered the building at last.

Rila's muscles twitched in barely restrained fury as she watched him escape.

Once he was gone she pushed Jin and fumed, "Why did you let him go! You better not say that you thought I'd get hurt!"

"Ahg," Jin muttered, turning to face her with a frustrated look. "You have a fight later today don't you?" he sternly asked. Rila scrunched up her face, knowing where he was going with this. "Then you should save your energy for that fight. You can't be certain of what you'll be up against."

Rila sighed, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "O--kay," she said _somewhat_ reassuringly and then bent over to pick up her bag from the pavement. Dismissing the previous event entirely, she turned her attention back to her stomach. "Man! I hope my food isn't getting all cold!" She started to wander into the hotel, picking at the food in the bag and actually forgetting about Jin!

Jin stared at her, seeing another distinguishable trait Rila had. Was she an airhead or was she self-centered? Or was she really THAT hungry?

Jin shrugged, at ease that he wouldn't be meeting Julia just yet. He wouldn't know what to say to her... and besides that... the forthcoming days seemed veiled in dark shrouds. A fate on the line of destruction may befall him, where the sun didn't shine and didn't belong. Julia could not be subjected to such a sin-reeking realm. Although he couldn't say what their relationship was, and hadn't the right to find out, most of all he could not allow the roots to deepen. It'd only make things much harder on the both of them. He didn't want to have to say good-bye to her and he didn't want to hurt her...

Besides... once she found out what he was, this other side of him... she probably wouldn't want anything to do with him. Or at least, he _hoped _she wouldn't.

Jin nodded solemnly. Solitude was the only option, the only thing he could entrust himself with and that was that. He heaved a sigh and then entered the hotel, heading for the elevators once in.

Rila was waiting at the elevator for she had had to stop and ask what number her room was and which floor it was located on. Jin joined her, hoping that maybe she forgot who he was already.

She looked up from her bag, seeing Jin standing as inconspicuously as he could. It'd be pretty hard not to notice _him_. She winced, realizing that she had abandoned him like a light-headed fool. "Ah... Did I just float off into my own little world all of sudden?" she joked nervously.

Jin looked at her, half of his face cut off by the hood.

She laughed, amused at herself. "Oh, I didn't... I just haven't had anything to eat in such a long while, you see?" she would go into further explanation but that seemed unneccesary. She watched his emotionless face, wondering if he'd humor her somehow. Alas, he didn't. "Oh, yeah! You want to meet up with Julia don't you! Yeah, you two can have a little reunion so then everything is good..." Noticing the drainage of color from his face, she stopped. "Don't you want to see her? Oh, no... don't tell me it's one-sided love?" she lamented, sincere disappointment in her coppery eyes.

"Uh, well... it's..." He sighed, so befuddled it was driving him crazy. "Rila, I just can't meet her _right now,_" he stated carefully.

Rila gave him a look of consideration. "You're nervous?"

Jin searched the blank walls for an answer. Then the elevator door _pinged_ and slid its doors open.

They both entered, punching in their room floor numbers and taking their spots in the orange-shaded compartment.

Rila tilted her head, stretching her neck around from that uncomfortable flight she had taken. The pillows they had provided weren't of the best quality--just barely, the _least_ quality. But she was confident that this wouldn't affect her abilities in the fight she had been scheduled for later in the day. Finding that her thoughts were wandering in all directions again, she refocused on Jin.

He stood up straight, quietly, probably thinking a million things that he wouldn't ever say aloud. Anyone could easily glance about a room, find Jin and automatically pin him a mugger, or a robber, or just someone capable of the worst but strangely enough, Rila could think the exact opposite of this. That might've been because she'd been brought up in rough places, the streets, the slums, reservations. Just in the last minutes she had known him, she had him labeled as a sweet guy.

"If you don't mind me asking, why don't you want to meet Julia? Don't you like her?"

"I do," Jin blurted accidentally, for a second thinking that a third person had snuck onto the elevator and said that. Rila's brows raised as she nibbled at a slice of lemon chicken. "It's just... complicated."

Rila shook her head in an "it figures" type of way.

The elevator stopped for Rila's floor and she slowly walked out of the elevator. "See you later, Jin," she said plainly as she left.

"Later," Jin said, considering that she wouldn't have seen him do an easy nod.

The elevator doors slid closed and the elevator ascended a little further to Jin's floor.

* * *

Rila first went to her room and ate her food finally. And then she left to have a chat with Julia, who was in another apartment down the hallway. 

She made her way down the long stretched hallway, noting the framed black and white pictures nailed up on the walls, placed between doors. Plain stools stood beneath every other picture, plastic plants in need of dusting atop of those, and florescent lights flickered to shake the beige carpet off balance. Oh, what a humble hotel this was. Truly.

Rila glanced from door to door, searching for Julia's room number (which she had learned from Julia's note that was left on the end table in her room). Once she found the correct number a few strides away, a door just beside Rila flung open and a man came sauntering out with a bottle of whiskey in hand. He stopped as he saw the young girl watching him, only but an arm length from his reach.

This man wasn't like that stupid brute Marduk. This man was scary, the type who actually _could_ sneak into your room at night and kill you relentlessly with a twisted laugh. He had a scar on his pale face, dull blue eyes, a masculine build, and grayish hair. The most steely stare that could cut through the coldest veins pinpointed Rila.

Rila continued to stare, being the type who didn't take kindly to intimidation. She was aware that it was a stupid thing to do: you don't step in a lion's domain and expect to win at a staring contest. He watched her, still as stone, despite the stench of whiskey emanating from him. With every second, Rila felt a little more uneasy, wishing direly to advert her eyes and _run_ away. A first.

He raised his hand, his fingers arched like claws. Rila almost jumped out of her skin. Slowly, he reached up to her neck and then let his hand hover there, as if some type of barrier was painted all over her body. "My name is Bryan Fury," his chilling voice said, "Don't forget." And then he withdrew his hand and continued on his way, over to the stairs.

When he was out of sight, Rila let out a breath that she'd held since the second his hand rose. She shook off the chills running along her skin and went for Julia's room.

* * *

_Next Time: Friends can be an asset, and enemies can be a plain hassel. With a handful of each, can balance ever be achieved?_


	3. New Acquaintances, New Enemies

The Soul Within  
Chapter 3 - New Acquaintances, New Enemies  
Written by: Amber M

_Author's Note: I do not claim to be knowledgeable of the geography of Japan... eh, just so you know for future reference. Also, last time I forgot to mention:_

_Thanks for the info on Asuka! I _had_ read her bio but it didn't really say specifically what connections she had to the Kazamas/Mishimas... Then again, I might've missed it... (sweatdrops) I only checked the Tekken Zaibatsu site so... _

* * *

Julia was sitting on the bedside, trying to occupy herself with some television. She watched the small set, its picture quite fuzzy and failing to take her mind off her worries mostly because the audio was in Japanese, and the subtitles wavered indescernably on the lower part of the screen. Against such a weak alternative, her worries naturally overpowered her. 

_Knock, knock, knock. _

Julia rose from the bed, hopeful that she'd find a certain firebrand fellow Arizonan behind the door.

Swinging open the board of low-quality wood, sure enough Rila stood on the other side. She rushed in, finding a seat on the cushioned window sill across the small room.

"Well come in," Julia said sarcastically, closing the door and then retaking her seat upon the bed. She looked to Rila who seemed to be rather on edge. "What's up? You look kinda... rattled?"

Rila flinched, looking up from the floor to Julia. "Oh... it's nothing," she lied. Taking a moment to calm her nerves, she went ahead and changed the subject. Recalling that Jin hadn't specifically asked Rila not to _say_ anything about him, she'd start there. "You'll never guess who I bumped into." Julia listened. "But... first... I was wondering if you might tell me a little more about this guy you met a while back..."

"You mean at the last tourna--" Julia's eyes widened. Could it be that he was here? "Jin?"

Rila nodded with a smug look on her face. "Yep, the very one. I think he's pretty hot."

Julia shot up from where she sat, her mind flurrying anew. "Well... How is he? How did he look?"

Rila sighed, "I'm pretty sure I just said he's _hot_, which in Rila's definition means 'sexay'. Uh. Does that mean anything to you?"

"He looked... normal?"

"Jeez! What's with you? Of course he looked normal. Like a human being, if that's what you mean."

Julia turned away, thinking it unwise to mention what she had seen two years ago. "S-so, was he... nice?"

"Ah, he's a sweetie, yeah. For sure."

He was sweet? So the normal Jin was still alive? This was overwhelming, certainly good news. Julia crossed her arms and then sat back down, major curious as to what he was like now. She listened carefully to the details of Rila's encounter with Jin.

Rila excluded some things, like the eerie way that he was reluctant to see Julia face to face. Instead she said that he was nervous, shy even. It wasn't THAT far from the truth.

"So you like the strong/silent type? Seems to fit," Rila commented with a cheery smile.

Julia blushed, taking her glasses from her eyes and pretending to clean them until the rosy shade faded. "I'm happy that he's alright."

Rila jumped up, bristling. She'd expected a reaction. Not... nothing! Of course her gritty thoughts would not go unsaid. "Huh? That's it?" Julia was silent. "This is the guy you've been all down about and now you know he here, obviously missing you, and...! Well... tell me you'll do _something _about this."

"Like what? Just go to him, fall into his embrace, utter sweet nothings into his ear and live happily ever after?"

"Well, not as mushy..." Rila mumbled flatly.

"If we meet again it'll be unplanned and... we'll just see where the river takes us from there," Julia concluded, although she kind of wished that she could do the "happily ever after" scenario.

Rila snorted, rolling her eyes in disappointment. Then she shrugged it off and lounged back in the nook of the window, turning her attention to the television.

Julia consulted her watch, seeing that it'd be two more hours until the second round of fights began. There was so much to wonder about, so many questions and possibilities. It startled her how easily she could close her eyes and imagine Jin, his perfect lips uttering words every girl wanted to hear, because it seemed to attest to her deepening infatuation with him. Maybe... it was more than that even. Much more. If they _had _kissed that night two years ago, where would they be now? They seemed to had been going at a considerably fast pace then... but they were just teenagers. Maybe she had the lingering feelings of a crush... After all, the first time they met wasn't exactly the beginnings of a formulaic romance, so was there anything left to hope for?

_

* * *

__Flashback_

Julia had arrived in Japan and came out as the victor of her first match. And it was on her first day in Japan that she met the handsome Japanese boy with the gentle eyes.

After her easy fight, she found herself drifting away from the buisiness of Tokyo, wandering as far as the outskirts of the city and into a small, old-fashioned neighborhood or village. The place could be called a small community even, with the humble, inexpensive houses, and stands outside set up around a welcoming plaza. The people matched the setting of the area quite well: simple, comfortable, friendly smiles. A simply happy mood coasted along the warm winds.

Julia hadn't been sure how she ended up all the way out here -- it had been at least a three mile walk from Tokyo. It was probably the serenity that drew her in. Little did she know that it would not last...

An hour of wandering the village passed. Julia had made her way to a small stone bridge that curved over the smallest river glimmering with busy fish in the shallow depths. She stood with her palms set upon the low wall, glancing down at her wavy reflection. Another figure appeared alongside hers a few seconds later.

Her eyes went to the other reflection. It was a young man. Julia brought her head up, looking from the corner of her eye, so as not to appear nosy. The man was tall with a really good build and he was wearing a type of jumpsuit, (then she made note that it was two pieces). The outfit was a bright yellow, red, and black with an original design, a type of biker outfit. He really seemed to stand out in this place, although she wasn't one to talk either.

Julia looked away, deciding to ignore him. It wasn't like she was that fluent a speaker in Japanese anyway.

"You shouldn't hang around here for long."

Julia's ears pricked up, her eyes widening at the sound of that strong voice... that spoke in _English_? She realized it had come from the young man next to her and turned her attention to him. "Pardon?"

"It's dangerous," he said, keeping his eyes directed on the river.

"I'll be fine," Julia sternly said, her eyes narrowing. "I'll handle anything that comes my way."

The young man looked at her, his face emotionless. "You probably don't know what you're up against."

"And YOU do?" she defended, "Thanks for the warning but I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself," and she began to walk away, steamed by his insolence.

"Bet you can't prove it."

Julia halted, in wonderment. Had he just taunted her? She whirled around, a frown on her face. "What?"

The young man just tilted his head from side to side, stretching out his neck. He began loosening up his fingers next, indicating that Julia was right to assume he meant to engage her in battle.

She sneered, thinking how crazy this all was. Why the hell did he care if she plunged into danger? "Why should I have to prove myself to you?" she questioned, raising a brow.

"I saw you earlier today."

"At... a fight?"

He nodded.

"You're participating in the Iron Fists Tournament?"

He nodded again.

Julia wanted to kick him in the head, infuriated by his random interfering. Not to mention his lack of response was already grating on her nerves. "What's your name?"

Taking a moment, he dropped his arms to his side and answered, "Kazama Jin."

"Well, _Kazama Jin_... What reason do you have for fighting ME? Do you even know my name?"

"Julia Chang, isn't it?" Julia recoiled, taking a step back. Jin smiled and clarified, "That's what the fight announcer said anyway."

"Oh," Julia muttered, easing down, slightly embarrassed.

Jin started walking past her off the bridge. Julia was shaking her head, staring blankly at the ground. "You coming?" Jin stopped and said.

Julia turned, sure that she wasn't imagining things, so she followed after him.

He led her to the river side, right behind the largest dwelling of the village and took a position in the center, facing Julia. Seeing him stop, she took a position a couple of yards away and settled into her fighter stance.

Only two villagers would stand as witness, although they were preoccupied picking some herbs across the river. Most of the people were located in the plaza.

Jin put up three fingers and then began to curl them back into a fist one at a time, counting down. Julia just glared, still irritated, considering that he hadn't told her why he wanted to fight her in the first place. She watched as his last finger curled in and then he moved forward.

He made the first move, launching a fist at her face. Julia quickly ducked away, shocked that he was actually going to play rough. _What the hell is with this guy? _Julia thought. First, he said that she should leave due to dangers, making it seem as though he was concerned for her and now he was actually going to fight her -- in a very serious fashion!

Again he came at her, this time with Laser Cannon, blasting Julia to the ground with the third punch. She skidded on her back across the dry dirt, coming to a stop several feet from Jin.

He stood up straight, rising from his fighter stance and muttered, "Hmph. You know you'll die if you just try to block or dodge every attack."

She shot back up to her feet and charged at Jin, reaching him and then doing her Bow and Arrow attack. He blocked the first hit and then took the others, sweeping him off his feet and to his back. Just as he fell to the ground, he heard Julia's feet shuffle and then she was coming down from above, about to _stomp_ him. Quickly, he rolled away and retaliated with a Tooth Fairy attack, making a clean hit and sending her through the air.

This battle went on...

And on...

Until it was late noon when the both of them charged at each other again. Weary they both were at this point and both were charging up: Julia with her Heavy Uppercut and Jin with his Lightning Screw Uppercut. Slowly they moved across the field and then...

_Wham!_

There was direct contact, sending both fighters to the ends of the field like debris of a wreckage.

They fell unconscious...

Julia awoke again, feeling soreness and aches in every muscle. She was face up, blinded by the bright gray and white sky. Shielding her eyes from the light, she faintly heard some rustling upon the ground nearby. She forced her head up as much as she could to find Jin a short distance away from her. He was pulling himself to his feet, shaking his head around from the dizziness. Although she direly wished that she could go back to her motel and sleep off this pain, she hauled herself up to her feet, groaning as quietly as she could while doing so.

Jin was mumbling to himself "...careless..." but that was all Julia could hear. For a second, she thought that she could pretend that she had been up the whole time and that he lost but... No, he probably already seen her lying limp and unconscious, for it seemed that he had awoken a minute or so before she had. Besides, she wasn't a _cheater_.

They rose to their feet, both cursing and criticizing themselves quietly. Julia seen that he was readying himself for a second round, and she heaved a sigh, dragging her feet to her position once more.

This round was much shorter, lasting only about five minutes when they had to stop.

Frightened villagers were gathering upon the bridge, pointing out into the forest.

_End Flashback_

* * *

After that, both Jin and Julia had gone to investigate the cause of the village people's fears. While out in the forest, Julia had asked Jin why he had insisted on fighting her. He had quietly replied, "I didn't want to see an angel fall," and that was it. They parted ways from the forest. 

The way their relationship had started out _was_ pretty unusual, the type of thing Julia had only seen happen in movies or read in books. They had skipped a few steps, suggesting the theory that maybe destiny had brought them together. She knew what Rila's reply to this would be: _Bah!_

Julia chuckled, surprisingly not drawing Rila's attention. Julia looked over to the windowsill to find that Rila had fallen asleep. It was understandable, considering how restless Rila always got on flights. Julia had been surprised that the younger girl had even gotten a pillow behind her head during the flight, usually so uneasy that her head would be ducked between her legs as a bag billowed from her mouth with anxious breathing. Flying really did have that much affect on Rila; a fact which had been learned the hard way.

There was too much time to kill, the little hands taking forever to round the clock. So, Julia decided to kick back and have a nap as well, having been deprived of a good rest on the flight due to restless company. She removed her glasses, setting them upon the nightstand and then she closed her eyes, drifting off into dreamland not far after.

It was an hour and a half later when Julia was stirred from her sleep. Rila was shoving her shoulder, muttering "wake up!" until Julia's eyes fluttered open. "You're going to be late!" Rila growled when Julia was fully awake.

Julia jumped up and leaped over to her suitcase, pried it open and sprawled her few belongings across the bed.

"What are you doing?" Rila cried, her hand on the doorknob.

"I... just gotta change first! I'll meet you in front of the hotel," Julia assured.

Rila shook her head and then went out the door, pulling it shut behind her.

Julia had a habit of keeping herself clean and neat but _sometimes_ she could be a _little _obsessive about it -- she was forced to admit that when Rila and her own mother cornered her about that. These clothes, however, had seen two days of wear, and she hadn't yet gotten to shower when they arrived. It had completely slipped her mind when this storm of Jin stirred up. She wasn't concerning herself with prettying up for Jin or any other guy. The simple fact was the location of the second round fights was on the beach. She didn't want to be caught out in the sun with a full jean outfit on!

After changing into her more "sun-friendly" outfit, she hurried out the door, down the hallway, down the stairs (because the elevator was caught up on one of the top floors), and then through the lounge area and out the doors. She had to skid to a stop, her toes at the edge of the sidewalk.

Searching the area, she quickly spotted Rila who was holding a cab at the corner of the block. She waved to Julia and then Julia sprinted over, jumping into the back seat when she got there.

After Rila entered, Julia spoke to the cab driver, giving him the location of the beach.

"Sheesh, what're you doing oversleeping? I thought you were punctual down to the bone. Believe me... I know," Rila said, rolling her eyes. "By the way, your boot's untied," Rila added and then looked out the window at the passing view.

"Oh," Julia muttered in between breaths. She bent over to tie up the green boot, her fingers fumbling a little. "I was just tired," she answered.

"Even so... Ah, but you must've had sweet dreams, eh?" Rila laughed teasingly.

"Oh, please," Julia muttered, finishing up the knot on her boot. She rose up, gazed outside her window and smiled.

* * *

The girls arrived at the beach where a Tournament Official directed them to the fighting area. There was a group of people forming a large ring out on the warm beach, all shouting and rooting for one of two fighters that were brawling at the center... or rather wrestling. 

Julia and Rila found a place in the crowd, looking past some people to see who was fighting.

Rila recognized that big ape, Marduk in there and Julia recognized King, a man with a leopard mask, as his competitor. It looked like Marduk was taking a major whomping; Rila grinned at this, although she wished that _she _could've had the chance to put a foot to his skull. Julia laughed as Rila started to root for King along with some other gamblers who had their money on him.

Julia took a deep breath, then blew it at her bangs. "I wonder who I'm fighting," she muttered under her breath.

The fight ended with "aw, I losts" and "yahoo, we're in the big time now, bros". King had effortlessly defeated Marduk and put him to shame. The masked fighter left the sight without taking his bows, uninterested in such things. Marduk however kept shouting over the hum of the crowd that "I'll defeat you, I swear it! I swear it! I swear IT!"

Rila watched in amusement and began to walk away from the lot of people toward the screaming ape. Julia snatched her arm and asked with suspicion, "Where are you going?"

"Just thought I'd salt some wounds," Rila said with a smirk.

Julia shook her head. "Well, don't. This isn't the place to be acting so recklessly."

"What are you talking about? If not here then where?"

Julia shook her head again, staring down Rila until she settled herself. Rila finally sighed and eased her tensed muscles under Julia's grasp, sinking back into the crowd. Julia let go and listened as her name was called:

"_Next Round: Julia Chang versus Miharu..."_

"Good luck to ya!" Rila said, raising her fist mid-air.

Julia knocked her own fist into Rila's and then made her way to the center of the ring. Another girl, wearing a school uniform, came prancing up to the center.

"Go for it Miharu!" erupted from the crowd. The voice was high-pitched and energetic, sticking out quite clearly among this lot.

Rila and Julia both spotted the source of the cutesy voice; another young girl in a school uniform was bouncing about the crowd with her fists pumping into the air. Julia recognized that girl... where did she see her before? She knew that it was sometime during the last tournament she had participated in but... nope, just wasn't coming to her.

Remembering the task at hand, Julia turned her attention back to Miharu.

"_FIGHT!"_ shouted the announcer, a middle-aged man perched up on a beach chair.

The fight commenced with Miharu starting by turning her back to Julia and then putting in a little backwards combo. Julia blocked these but took a foot to her shin.

The battle didn't last long. This girl, Miharu, seemed to be a bit inexperienced. The final blow was delivered by Julia, using a Party Crasher, charging into Miharu and knocking her unconscious. The girl was out, but Julia felt a little bad for her. After the announcer observed the motionless Miharu, he then declared Julia the winner, giving her the next fight schedule and such.

"Haha! You won, Jules!" Rila exclaimed, stating the obvious of course.

Julia waited until she was out of the ring and then grinned happily, giving Rila a little hug and receiving a congratulatory handshake. Just as she did so, she caught sight of a mysterious onlooker... a mysterious onlooker? Jin?

The man, that was surely Jin, became aware that Julia had spotted him, and his eyes widened, his mouth became slightly agape. Julia wanted to run over to him but then a small group of gamblers started to stampede by, mumbling and cursing to themselves. Of course, when they passed, Julia couldn't see Jin anywhere.

"You. Little. Bitch."

Julia's brows wrinkled as she looked toward the gritty voice. She found herself having to look up quite the ways to see a red-faced bald guy built like an ape. Marduk. "What?" she returned, very confused and near ready to react to that harsh name.

"Huh?" the Neanderthol uttered, suddenly rather perplexed looking himself. He looked about himself, sifting through the dispersing crowd, "Where'd that bitch g--"

_Crack!_

"YEEEOW! THE FUCK WAS THAT!" the buffoon yowled, falling over the knee that'd been struck out of the blue.

Julia backed away as he rolled around, cradling his new wound. Then she looked up at the small-framed girl she wasn't very surprised to see.

"And this is for being a frickin' sexist!" Rila growled with an accompanying kick to Marduk's face.

His nose was instantly broken, spewing blood like a faucet.

Julia cringed. Then she flinched as Rila reeled back for heavy punch. She snatched the girl's arms and pulled her back. "Rila! That's enough I think," she muttered through gritted teeth.

"Hey! Grr... Oh, fine."

Julia sighed, although happy that Rila was blunt and to the point this time. She looked down at the unconscious ape and wondered, "You don't think the blood from his nose will clog his throat, do you?"

Rila turned to the exit, "Hell if I know. You're the scholar." Julia rolled her eyes. "Oh, alright," Rila muttered and then put her boot into Marduk's side and shoved him over to his hairy frontside. "There." Julia tried to contain her laughter, holding her hand to her mouth. "Now, then... I've got a little hike to take."

"A hike?" Julia queried, suddenly becoming serious.

Rila nodded. "Yeah, that damned Tournament Official told me that my fight was located in the jungle and--" she pulled out a folded piece of paper from her back pocket, "--he gave me this map."

Julia took the paper from her grasp, opening it up and seeing a highlighted area, several miles from Tokyo. "So... the third rounds are being held there?"

"Ha! Funny thing... The Official said that my opponent would probably not be expecting to find someone such as myself out there..."

"Eh... So, what? You're suppose to just wander this jungle, looking for this person? What if you can't find him?"

"I... don't know," Rila said, stumped herself and then she suddenly blurted, "Ah! I better get going. Don't want to be out at night when the beasties can get me!" She started for the exit, almost running.

Julia went after her. "Wait! You might die out there and I won't even know about it! Is that what type of situation this is? RILA!"

Rila sprinted to the pavement where a cab was waiting. Before Julia could catch her, she had gotten in and the cab drove away, stranding Julia out on the beach, friendless. "Damn her..." she muttered and then looked heavenward, her hands clapped together. "Please... watch over my foolish friend..."

"Waaaaaaiii!" a voice squealed.

Julia turned halfway when a blurry figure bulldozed her over, knocking her down to the hot pavement.

"Woah!" the voice uttered before she crashed into Julia.

It was that girl that had been cheering on Miharu. Julia groaned and got to her feet, rubbing her skinned elbow. "What are you doing?" Julia growled.

The girl bounced up. "Oooops!" she said insincerely, straightening out her skirt. "Didn't see ya there!"

Julia looked at her with an odd expression and then started heading for the sidewalk. She just remembered that face, that uniform. Looking over her shoulder, she leered at the energetic girl and that name came to mind. "Ling Xiaoyu," that girl that hung out with Jin at that Mishima school.

* * *

It was at least two hours later when the cab had dropped off Rila at the edge of a jungle marked on the map. Rila was suggested to just head straight down the middle of it, keeping an eye out for another person. Somehow it reminded her of Predator... 

So, with no alternative, no whistle... whistle? Maybe whoever she was suppose to fight would hear her whistling and come for her... OR some hungry animal would hear it instead and come to _eat_ her alive. Damn. She heaved a sigh, and stepped into the greenery.

Finding fallen logs in many places at the entrance, she hopped up and balanced upon them, despite the risk of a dangerous animal seeing her. Now, she wished she had researched into the _wildlife_ that was within the jungle. She cursed at herself for not doing so a few times, and then saw movement. It was far ahead of her, looked to be a person? How lucky! She grinned, although this person was quite the distance away, hurrying they were, knocking aside plants and branches like swatting bugs... well, maybe they were doing that too.

She dropped from the log she was balancing upon, and then with caution, headed for the person.

Minutes later, Rila was but a half a mile from the other intruder. She recognized the person to be a man in a military uniform with red hair. Closer, his details became more and more distinct. Rila stopped in a cleared area, leaning up against a large log, where she'd wait patiently.

The guy caught sight of her finally, seeing her through a split tree. He had to blink his eyes a few times, seeing as this was kind of bizarre: a girl just chillin' out in a jungle all by herself?

Rila tilted her head as she watched the guy vigilantly weave around the obstructions and into the cleared area.

He blinked, doubt swarming him, but this was too real to be a dream. "Waiting for someone?"

"You," Rila smiled, seeing as he was pretty cute.

"Alright," he said slowly. "What the hell's going on?"

"Truthfully, I don't know... But you're my competitor today. In order for me to advance in the tournament, I just have to defeat you."

He licked at his teeth slowly, a distorted smile on his face when she mentioned "tournament". "Ah, I see. You're competing in the Iron Fists Tournament. It's already begun?"

"Guess you're late."

"So, you came all the way out here to fetch me then? That's nice of you," he said more smoothly, looking her over twice. He could have more than a little fun fighting this one. "What's you're name?"

Rila sneered, noticing his wandering eye. "Rila."

"Mine's Hwoarang... but you must have heard of me by now."

"Can't say that I have." She slyly smiled and said, "Well, I'm not particularly fond of jungles so... let's get this over with."

Mmm. Confidence. Somehow that was very appealing to the Korean. Not to mention those kissable _lips_. This could be fun.

* * *

_Next Time: Xiaoyu might hold another thread to the unraveling of Jin's closed mind for Julia to understand him, and understand their relationship. But what will be the price of this next clue? And can Julia afford it?_


	4. The Makings of Friendship

The Soul Within  
Chapter 4 - The Makings of Friendship  
Written by: Amber M

_Author's Note: Phew... editing is tiring... (dozes off)_

* * *

Jin sat with his legs folded over each other on the top of a vacant building. It was a warehouse overlooking the docks, the ocean and its colorful horizon beyond as the sun set. He had made his way up here after observing the fights at the beach where Julia participated in her first fight as Rila had indicated. 

Even knowing she would be there no amount of time and thinking could've prepared him for seeing her face the first time in a long while. Truthfully he was stunned by her beauty; the way the sun kissed her skin with adoration, and how the sea breeze combed through the precious few silky locks she left unbound. It didn't seem possible that she could get prettier than when he'd first met her when she was eighteen. Now she was an incredibly beautiful woman. So many times had he seen that angelic face, yearning to caress that soft skin but painfully aware that such a thing would only yield sorrow.

He shook his head around, trying to clear his thoughts of her. There were other things he needed to think about: Kazuya, Heihachi, the Devil Gene. It had been but this morning that he had felt the presence of Kazuya, that looming figure in the shadows, seemingly so close. That evil man was still alive. Jin seethed silently, digging his fingers into his palms held over his knees. _Calm... Stay calm..._ he chanted in his head, dragging out the images that made him serene... He closed his eyes.

For a moment he remembered his mother, Kazama Jun, and the walks in the forest and in the next...

"Julia..." he found himself saying aloud. His eyes lifted open, staring into that bright and warm sun. He dropped his head down, laughing silently in irony.

* * *

"OUCH!" Rila screeched as she took a clean shot to the face by Hwoarang's Public Enemy attack. She stumbled back but didn't fall to the ground, quickly shaking her head around from the wooziness and reacting with one of her high spin kicks. 

Hwoarang ducked the high attack and then was surprised by a quick sweeping motion of Rila's left leg. He tripped but easily landed on his fully supported arm and sprung back up, jabbing his leg into Rila's shin.

"Oof," she muttered, vulnerable to his next attack, the Sky Rocket. Before she could dodge, his foot dug into her stomach and lifted her high into the air and well... she was airborne.

Hwoarang watched with a pleased smile as she soared through the air and came down with a _splash_ in the nearby shallow pond. His smile formed quickly into a grin while she rose onto her elbows, spitting out water and mud. "Heheh... You're lookin' mighty fine all wet like that," he laughed.

Rila coughed out some more water, stood to her feet and inspected herself, finding her torn jeans soaked and tainted with mud, her tank top in a similar condition and her cropped leather letterman jacket dripping with globs of water and sticky leafs. This was her favorite jacket! She fixed a reproachful stare on him and trudged up the small slope, out of the water.

"Hey, that's a compliment," he insisted with a buoyant smile.

Rila was already charging in again, but not rashly. Just before coming within range of Hwoarang, she slipped to the side, beneath one of his kicks, jammed a fist into his ribs and then slammed a leg into his back.

Hwoarang went staggering frontward, inevitably flopping into the pond himself.

"Heehee... _Now_ who's wet?" she laughed impishly.

Pulling his head from the water, Hwoarang was a tad embarrassed that a girl just got the better of him. He spit out some of the filth and rose back to his feet, shaking the little dew drops from his spiky red hair. "Alright, alright... so maybe you fight okay for a girl."

Rila snuffed, patiently waiting for him to be ready.

"Here I come," Hwoarang playfully said and went at her again.

* * *

"Your name's Ling Xiaoyu?" 

"Yep! That's right! Wait... do I know you?" Xiaoyu tapped her chin, searching for that face in her memory. "Hmm."

Julia had remembered seeing Xiaoyu on the schoolyard of Mishima High. They had been pitted against each other; both being competitors in the King of Iron Fists Tournament 3, and Julia had... won.

"Wait a second..." Apparently this little fact just clicked in Xiaoyu's head as well. She narrowed her eyes and then began ranting in Chinese, "_(You're the one who embarrassed me in front of my friends! AND Jin Kazama! Ahg, I can't believe it's you again! What kind of joke is this!)_" Xiaoyu began shaking her fists at the sky and stamping her feet to the pavement.

"Um..." Julia watched Xiaoyu continue throwing her tantrum and wondered if it was really such a good idea to ask her about Jin. Julia rolled her eyes and heaved a sigh. "I'm... sorry that we had to fight... I can't say that I'm sorry I beat you because my reasons for entering that tournament were very important. Can you just accept my apology?"

Xiaoyu looked at Julia curiously, taking a moment and then finally blurting, "Okay!" Julia raised a brow. "I guess if you had some real IMPORTANT reason then how can I be mad? So, hows about I officially introduce myself... Ahem... I am Ling Xiaoyu, future owner of the best amusement park in the whole entire world!"

Julia kept her brow up, not sure if she was joking or being serious. She watched Xiaoyu take a bow. "O--kay... I'm Julia Chang... future savior of all forests..." she said, deciding to play along, although it truly was one of her dreams to save the forests of the world. And she bowed back to Xiaoyu.

"Alright! So now that we're friends, you can come with me and Miharu to that brand new bistro on Dimsum Lane!"

"Friends...?"

"Miharu!" Xiaoyu turned and shouted toward the beach. "MIHARU!" Julia winced and clapped her hands to her ears the second time Xiaoyu shouted.

Miharu emerged from behind the shacks and palm trees, searching the parking lot to find the bouncy Xiaoyu waving her hands in the air. She saw who she was with and let out a sigh, thinking that Xiaoyu had gotten too excited again and took things a little too far. Against all logic however, Xiaoyu was... smiling?

"Miharu," Xiaoyu happily said, "This is Julia Chang and the three of us are going to that bistro we saw earlier for a late lunch!"

Miharu tilted her head, twisting a strand of hair around her finger. "Huh? All... three of us?"

Xiaoyu saw Miharu was confused and rushed to clarify, speaking to her in Chinese.

Julia crossed her arms, knowing absolutely no Chinese at all. In fact, she barely knew any other language besides English and some of the old Native American language of hers and Michelle's tribe.

Xiaoyu finished up quickly and it seemed that Miharu understood the situation.

"Okay! Let's go!" Xiaoyu said, hopping into the air and then rushing between Miharu and Julia, dragging them along by their arms.

It was almost an hour later, and the three girls were sitting in a corner booth of the bistro, so named the Neko Bistro. Julia wasn't quite used to being around such _peppy_ people. Her mother was serious and a woman of wisdom. And Rila was mischievous, secretive... and lazy. Then again, she was sometimes cheerful and silly...

"Yeah, but the Organ Grinder was by far the best roller coaster there!" Xiaoyu said. The two had been talking about Amusement Parks. This conversation had followed a long one on the recently built shopping mall and the cute cashier that worked at a bicycle shop there. Often Xiaoyu had turned the spotlight to Julia, asking her about the usual "girl" topics: meet a cute guy lately? which perfume is better? did you see that movie about the girl who likes the guy but the guy has to leave because he owes his best friend... and so on.

"I'm gonna go back there and get that pink and green monkey, even if it takes all day!"

"But you're horrible at that basketball game! And besides, the park -- by some STUPID RULE -- closes in the evening!" Xiaoyu replied, accidentally flicking her plastic fork into the air. It still had some moist noodles on it and splattered against a nearby bald man's head. "Oh!"

The man whirled around, searching for the perpetrator.

The three girls lowered their heads, quietly eating their food as if nothing happened.

Finding no trace of a suspect, the man brushed the noodles from his head and turned back around.

The girls giggled a little, still keeping their heads lowered. "Xiaoyu!" Miharu said in a hush.

"Butter fingers?" Xiaoyu said innocently with a shrug.

Julia didn't mind them so much. While Xiaoyu and Miharu had an astounding reservoir of energy, they were okay people. Still, she wanted to find out if Xiaoyu had any contact with Jin recently or sometime after the third tournament. "Xiaoyu..." Julia said in a conversational tone, "So, what have you been up to in the past couple of years? Anything real exciting?"

"Hmm." Xiaoyu tapped her fingers to the table, thinking. She sighed, "Ah... I guess not anything truly amazing... Nope."

Julia timidly pressed on, "Um... Any... _guy_ in your life?"

Xiaoyu began to pout. "No! It's sad isn't it? Even Miharu here has been on more dates than I have!"

"Hey!" Miharu said through a mouthful of rice.

"Well, it's not like I haven't been on at least one date 'cause I have! But what I really want is a nice, sweet boyfriend, you know? He'd be tall and strong... and he could pick me up and whisk me away to a romantic evening in the Bahamas!"

Miharu added, "You forgot cute."

"Yeah! That's REALLY important!" Julia shook her head, chuckling quietly. Xiaoyu then asked, "What about you Julia? Got a cute boyfriend back home?"

"Well... no..."

"Ah, at least I'm not alone!"

"What about Jin?" Julia accidentally blurted. Her eyes widened at her own question. _Did I just say that out loud? _She slowly grinded her teeth together a bit, as it seemed that those words undoubtedly left her mouth -- For once, Xiaoyu and Miharu were silent.

Xiaoyu stared at her tapping fingers. "Jin?" she quietly said.

"We haven't seen him in a long time," Miharu clarified. "He disappeared after the third tournament."

"But!" Xiaoyu quickly said, practically leaping out of her seat, "I DID receive an e-mail and I think it was from him!" Julia listened. "It had to be, right? Who else would say such a thing concerning my safety -- and it was about the Mishima Zaibatsu!"

Julia wondered... But if that was the first thing Xiaoyu could offer about Jin over the past couple of years, it probably wouldn't help to bring him up again.

* * *

Rila skidded to her back, slamming up against a tree trunk. "Ow," she whimpered, wincing and then trying to force herself up again. 

Hwoarang limped a little closer. His knee had been banged up pretty good in the past ten minutes.

They were both tiring, filthy, bruised and soaked and cursing under their labored breaths every chance they got.

Rila shook her head about, unable to rid herself of this worsening wooziness. She looked up again, seeing three Hwoarang's standing in the distance. "Just... Just wait... I'll... I'll..."

"Oof," she abruptly muttered and then fell flat on her face, out like a light.

"Huh?" Hwoarang's brows raised, completely surprised. She was finally down?

He cautiously moved closer to the face down girl, dragging his foot along. Once next to her, he leaned on his good leg and used his limp one to gently tap against Rila's side. She didn't move but she was breathing, surely unconscious. Hwoarang sighed, easing his tensed muscles. For a moment he just stood, his back hunched, his arms cradling his stomach where Rila had gotten some pretty good shots in, until he decided that he couldn't just leave the girl out in the jungle like this.

With his breathing finally steadied again, he knelt down next to Rila and started to pull her up over his shoulder. His knee was still hurting like hell, making him swagger back and forth a bit when he stood and tried to walk. He gained his balance after leaning on a nearby tree for a second and then started to limp out of the area for the sliver of pavement he could see in the distance.

The path was quite obscure, for the sky had darkened much since he first ran into Rila an hour ago.

It made him wonder, how did anyone know that he was going to be in this jungle in the first place? This girl didn't look to be any type of spy. Nope, she just seemed like a genuine competitor who probably entered the tournament for the money. She _had_ been strong, above the average saps that littered the preliminary rounds. Rila said she had to defeat him in order to advance but who told her to go to this location? Was it the exact location that she was given or was she searching for a long time?

Hwoarang shook his head, a little headache coming to bother him.

He reached the road, having tripped and bumped into trees and such on his way out but he was okay. Just as he stepped upon the pavement, his eye caught sight of a car in the distance. There was a man in a dark gray suit standing by it with binoculars in hand. He was probably a spectator. The man nodded and then entered his fancy car, very soon zooming off in the opposite direction Hwoarang was turning to.

The Korean raised a brow, becoming more and more suspicious. He flinched when he heard Rila suddenly mumble and turned his head slightly but only able to get a clear view of her butt. She wasn't conscious yet for her full weight remained drooping over his shoulder. Hwoarang smirked. "Okay, girly... Let's high-tail it out of this gloom and doom place," Hwoarang said and chuckled at his own joke.

* * *

Julia, Xiaoyu and Miharu walked along the streets, just having exited the bistro at long last. It was dark out now but the brilliant lights of Tokyo made it seem less so. 

"You know, the next fights aren't happening until three days from now," Miharu commented.

Xiaoyu's eyes lit up. "You know what that means!"

Julia looked to the two grinning girls, oblivious to what they were talking about. "What?"

"PARTY!" The two squealed at the same time, stopping in place to do a goofy dance.

"Uh..." Julia was startled, slowly beginning to inch away but then the two each snatched an arm and made her dance with them. "I don't know..." Julia muttered shakily as her arms were waved about like streamers.

"Aw, don't worry! It'll be totally fun! Me and Miharu know some great, extra spectacular party places! You'll love 'em!" Xiaoyu assured as the dancing ceased.

"No, it's just that... I need to get back to the hotel and see if my friend made it through her fight okay..."

"Friend?" Both Xiaoyu and Miharu exchanged curious looks.

"A GIRL friend... She went off for a fight shortly after the beach rounds."

"Huh? There was a THIRD round of fights today?" Miharu said, puzzling.

"Wow, so then we'll be a quad of girl power friends!" Xiaoyu said and started dancing in place again.

Julia shook her head, entertaining the thought of Xiaoyu and Rila having even _one_ thing in common.

Xiaoyu stopped dancing and said, "Well, how about we go to the hotel, and if your friend is there we can all go to one of those clubs we were talking about?"

"She was just in a fight..." Miharu said, twisting her usual strand of hair.

"So?"

"What if she's too tired?"

Xiaoyu crossed her arms. "Hmm. Then we can try tomorrow, huh? Either way, _I_ just HAVE to go dancing tonight! I'm totally in the mood!"

Julia took a moment and then finally gave in. "Oh, okay... Let's go see if she's there yet and then... _maybe_ I'll join you two."

"Alright!" Xiaoyu shouted, pumping her fists in the air, "Let's go!"

The hotel was only a couple of blocks from the bistro and the three ran the whole way -- Xiaoyu setting the pace as she and Miharu talked a mile a minute, giggling loudly every now and then and drawing the attention of innocent bystander. They got there and then Julia took lead, skidding to a stop in front of the elevator and immediately pressing the correct buttons. When they'd gotten to Rila's apartment, Julia was met with a hollow feeling when no answer came from Rila's door.

"Not back?" Xiaoyu questioned, concern showing in her eyes.

Julia nervously snapped her fingers at her sides, staring at the door. "I guess not."

"She's probably okay," Xiaoyu said more brightly, "She's a fighter isn't she?"

Julia made a wave of her eyebrows, a considering expression on her face. "Yeah... she is."

"Then it's probably nothing to worry about! Why don't we just head on down to the club for an hour and then you can _call _back here any time. Hm?"

"I... I guess."

"Yeah! See, it'll all be okay! Right Miharu?"

Miharu flinched. "Oh, yeah... yeah, of course!"

They came to an agreement and Julia let them drag her along again. First, they had stopped to get the phone number and such at the front desk and Julia pocketed a card with the information on it. Then off they went, heading for a place Xiaoyu called Club Flamingo.

* * *

Hwoarang yawned and stretched his arms out. He and Rila were now on a bus heading back to Tokyo. The bus was mostly vacant with but four other passengers besides them. Hwoarang had carried Rila to the back of the bus and propped her up in the seat opposite of him. 

The lights of Tokyo were already in view, about 5-10 minutes away.

Hwoarang wasn't actually sure of where he would bring her after getting off the bus. After all, she ah, _owed him _for carrying her all that way, with a knee _she _busted no less. He nodded to himself in agreement but still, where to go... Neither of them were critically injured in any way; there was nothing that couldn't be fixed with a bag of ice or a couple of bandages here and there. And Hwoarang's knee should be alright after a little rest. "Guess, I should try to wake her," Hwoarang said aloud to himself as he looked over at her.

He slid to the edge of his seat and outstretched his arm, gently poking at her shoulder with his fingers. "Hel -- looo..." he said. "Ri -- laaa... That's your name, isn't it?" She was still out so on he went, poking her shoulder a little harder.

Her head started to rock about and then her eyes fluttered open. She groaned, still feeling Hwoarang poking at her. "Ahg, stop!" she muttered, her voice a little scratchy.

Rila rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times. She surveyed the area and then raised a brow, wondering what had happened. "Oh..." she mumbled, remembering that he was still standing when she plopped to the ground back in the jungle.

The bus hit a speed bump, tossing the two into the air. Rila felt a sharp pain in her bottom upon landing. "Geez... How many times did you kick me back there?" she said with slight sarcasm, cringing and leaning forward over her knees.

"Heh, couldn't resist... I had to exploit your badly-timed spins. Live and learn, right?"

"I wonder if you follow your own advice," Rila muttered, giving him a flat sidelong glance.

"What?" Hwoarang said innocently and then went on, "You're an unorthodox fighter, huh?" Rila lazily nodded. "You know... I'll admit... You do have potential."

"Hmph, lucky me."

Hwoarang added with a grin, "In many ways."

Rila would never live this down. _(sigh) I need a place to mope in peace. _She looked at Hwoarang, who had the most lewd look on his face. _AWAY from him._

Freed from the stuffy bus, it didn't take long to locate a bar conveniantly placed just along the sidewalk near the first stop. Neon letters flashed off and on, reading: The Moonlight Pub. A drunk man staggered out of the doorway, tripping over his own feet and falling flat on his face to the pavement.

Within, quite a few people patronized the dimly lit pub. Guffawing resounded from the pool table in the furthermost corner of the pub and the voice of a young lad rattled in broken notes through the karaoke machine. Was that "Don't Speak"?

"Might I ask your ages?"

"25," the two declared at the same time and then exchanged looks.

"Uh-huh..." the clean-cut bartender said skeptically but then shrugged and picked up an empty glass, swishing his towel inside it. "What'll you be having, then?"

Hwoarang brought his hands onto the counter, drumming his fingers restlessly. "Give me a beer."

"Light beer for me, please," Rila requested and then the bartender strolled off to fetch their drinks.

Hwoarang looked to Rila again, staring at her until she finally gave him a leery look. She raised a cocoa-colored brow. "Have you had a drink before?" he asked deviously.

"Yes. Not that I'm proud of it," she said with that sly grin. Hwoarang continued to stare at her, soon making her uneasy. "What?"

He smiled. "Nothing. You're hot. I feel regretful for giving you that bruise there," he said and lightly traced his finger beneath her eye.

"Eh?" she questioned, grabbing a napkin dispenser nearby and looking into its distorted reflection. At the same she knew she was quite past irritated by his insistence to join her in moping. The bastard. Still, she found herself giving him a furtive glance, for some reason reminding herself that he _had _gone to the trouble of carrying her out of harm's way.

The bartender returned with a cooled bottle of beer in each hand. "Here ya are... Yours --" He placed Hwoarang's drink in front of him on a napkin and then did the same for Rila's. "-- And yours... Enjoy," he smoothly said and went away again.

Hwoarang picked up his drink, watching Rila about to take a drink from hers. "To new friendship!" he suddenly declared and banged his bottle to hers without much more warning than that.

Rila's face dripped with another mess to clean up. "As if the night couldn't get any better," she muttered wryly.

* * *

_Next Time: When Jin and Julia meet face to face will it be magical or disasterous? Anything goes when a troupe of drunks are running amok with hormones ignited!_


	5. Bittersweet Reunions

The Soul Within  
Chapter 5 - Bittersweet Reunions  
Written by: Amber M  
Rated for: Brief Language, AC, Minors Drinking

_Author's Note: Please read and review! _

* * *

"Come on, come on, come on! Move along already!" Xiaoyu whined, stamping her feet out of frustration because the line was basically moving at a snail's pace. 

Julia rubbed her hands together, bringing them to her mouth to warm them. The night had gotten chilly all of a sudden and they had been standing in line for about ten minutes now. She wished she had gotten to change back into her other outfit now, especially with all these guys that couldn't keep their gazes at eye level. Julia finally said, "You know, maybe I'll just go back to my apartment--"

"Ah! We're finally moving!" Xiaoyu yipped, skipping up a few feet.

"Can we even get into this place?"

Xiaoyu turned to Julia and grinned. "But of course! I know just the names to throw at these people. You see, I kind of work for the Mishima Zaibatsu."

"Huh?"

"She's a ward," Miharu put simply, rolling her eyes.

Xiaoyu put her hands on her hips. "Yeah, well... doesn't mean I can't know people!"

"You know people?" Julia asked, wondering if maybe Xiaoyu could help in some way with Julia's data retrieval.

"Hm? Oh, yep!" Xiaoyu perkily replied and saw that the line was moving again.

Finally, they reached the entrance.

A tall, beefy bouncer stood sentinel, decked out in a glossy suit and dark glasses. He snorted as he saw Xiaoyu bound up before him. "Sorry, girls but..." he began but then Xiaoyu pulled out an ID tag that was hanging around her neck. It had the Mishima Zaibatsu insignia on it. The bouncer lifted his shades up to get a better view. Seeing that it was genuine, he gulped and said, "Oh... Sorry, ma'am. Go on in."

"Yeah, okay... Oh, and these two are with me, okay?" Xiaoyu said sweetly, flashing a silly grin.

The bouncer just nodded and waved them in.

Inside, the club was quite loud with strobe effects, neon signs, boasting the basic setting of a nonstop rave. The bar was busy serving distinguishing drinks and young people jiggled, wiggled, and shook their stuff all over the place. Xiaoyu hopped up and down and clapped her hands. "Alright! Let's not just stand around!" she shouted over the music.

Julia just realized that she'd never been to such a place. Before she could back out, Xiaoyu and Miharu dragged her into the crowd.

"Oh, we'll take some of those!" Miharu shouted to a server that held a tray of beverages. The woman came over and allowed them to each take a glass.

"Wait, what is that?" Julia shouted over the noise, getting an odd shaped glass shoved at her.

Xiaoyu downed hers and happily shouted, "Drink it! Drink it!"

Seeing as Xiaoyu took it without question, Julia decided to down hers. It tasted like punch. Xiaoyu and Miharu waited for her feedback. Julia nodded in approval, not feeling the least bit different except that maybe this night wouldn't be so bad after all.

And so they danced.

* * *

Hwoarang casually surveyed the bar, frequently finding his attention return to the pool table in back. Maybe there were some suckers there he could hustle. Then again, he also had a good shot at getting with this girl, and damn did he crave a feminine touch. It seemed like he was held up in the military for ages! 

Rila patted the counter, signaling the bartender for another drink.

Hwoarang laughed, not able to recall the last time he saw a young chick so "at home" in a bar. "Baby got a hold of papa's whiskey, huh?"

"Most likely!" she stated mock-brightly.

The Korean downed the rest of his beer and heard another burst of raucous laughter from the pool room. He could only see one of the people that was back there; it wasn't anyone he recognized but the guy was middle-aged and American, probably a leftover from the preliminary rounds. Remembering his beer was gone, he also grabbed the bartender's attention and was slipped another bottle.

"Are you paying for those?" Rila asked, beginning to sound slurred after three bottles.

Hwoarang grinned, "Naw, I think you are."

Rila narrowed her eyes and then there was yet another burst of laughter. "How happy. Isn't happy great?" Rila said and took a gulp from her bottle.

Hwoarang raised a brow toward the pool table before placing his attention on the girl now brushing dried dirt off her sleeve. "I bet you're the sexy pool queen back home," Hwoarang said flirtatiously.

"Yee... ah... you red-headed devil. If you want the money go on back there already! Don't let me stop you. Meh..." she muttered, dropping her arm to the counter and leaning over it. Her fourth bottle was empty but she just dropped it to the counter and started to stand.

Hwoarang turned to lean back on the counter, finding himself rather fond of that fine ass of hers. "Right, and the moment I do, you're gonna ditch me. Is that the plan?"

She adjusted herself to the laws of the ground, flashing him an impish grin over her shoulder. "Have some self-esteem, man! I'm just goin' to the little girl's room if ya don't mind."

One step forward and someone came bumping into her. Rila fell back between the stools and the guy fell to his knees.

"Blimey, you're bloody blocking the path there, buddy..." the blonde man said in a slur.

Rila stood up, tripping over him again when she tried to pass. "Well if you'd choose a lane!" she growled, catching the support of a nearby chair.

The blonde man stood up, tipping precariously on his feet. He turned to the girly voice he just heard and had to refocus his vision. "What the hell? A girl? Oh, did you want my autograph?" he said out of the blue.

Rila raised a brow, swaying backwards a bit. "Why the hell would I want that? Are you tryin' to be funny?"

"If that's whatcha like," he replied, tipping forward over her.

Hwoarang watched in amusement, chuckling while he guzzled down his drink.

"Drunken ass," Rila muttered and turned away for the bathroom.

"Ass?" he puzzled as his eyes drifted south. "Speaking of which..." Then he turned and sat on a bar stool. "Hey, bartender... Little scotch, if you don't mind..." he sputtered, waving his hand about the air. He took notice to the commando next to him. "And what are you? A bloody boy scout?"

Hwoarang shook his head, taking a drink from his fifth bottle. "Just a worldly entrepreneur."

"Entre -- pernerer...?" the man mimicked incorrectly.

A couple of minutes later, Rila returned from the restroom, immediately seeing that the room changed. She realized what was most different. "Hey, there," she growled, marching over to the blonde guy.

He turned around with his drink in hand. "Ah, you again. Want that autograph now?"

"I want my seat back," she snarled.

"Eh, you're a testy one, aren't you...? Look, you don't have to be shy... Hows about I sign your huffy chest... What's your name, pretty lady?" he said, holding his hand out for a pen apparently.

"Get off my spot!" Rila fumed, gnashing her teeth together.

"Woah-ho-ho... Take it easy. Now, I'm not feeling like moving til I finish my scotch... so just wait a moment, luv," he said, trying to guide his glass to his mouth.

Rila growled, leaned back and then snapped her hand forward across his face. The blonde guy's drink splattered into his lap and his glass rolled across the floor. Hwoarang burst out laughing, spitting out some of the liquids that were in his mouth.

Finding that his drink had spilled all over his pants, the blonde man stood up, then beginning to feel a stinging on his face. "Hey, you smacked me!" he shouted, finally up to speed. "Bloody hell... that was a bit bitchy don't you think?"

"Bitchy?" Rila repeated, her eyes flaring up. "I'll show you --" she stopped there and lunged at him, grabbing on to his neck and pulling him down.

Hwoarang jumped off his seat, backing away with a pinching in his side from the laughter. Nearby drinkers also turned their attentions on the girl twisting the British guy's arm in a knot.

"OW! Hey, girly! I need that arm!"

* * *

The party had gotten even louder it seemed and Julia was feeling nauseous. She stumbled through the crowd, looking for the nearest exit. Faintly seeing a neon green sign, she made out the word EXIT and felt a bit relieved. But she had to get out fast! She shoved her way through the clusters of partiers and eventually made it to the back exit. There was only a bouncer on the inside next to the doorway so Julia didn't have to be conscious about throwing up in front of anyone -- she hoped. 

The door led out into an alleyway with a couple of dumpsters and various empty crates sprawled about. Julia scrambled around the side of the dumpsters and hurled immediately. "Uhg... I knew I shouldn't... have had that second helping of sushi..." Julia muttered in a rush and then gagged again.

After two more helpings of food and beverage spilled out of her mouth, she fell back against the dumpster and just sat on the ground there for a while, cradling her stomach. She could hear the beats of the club and also the sounds of cars rushing by at the end of the alley. The other side of the alley was really dark but she could make out a brick wall obstructing the path easily. A thought crossed her mind: she wanted to go home.

Tears began welling up in her eyes and she was starting to feel nauseous again. Before she knew it, she was sobbing, something she hadn't really done for a while now. She drew her legs into her chest and clapped her hands to her face, trying to muffle her cries.

Footsteps then resounded down the alley. Julia dropped her hands from her face and looked about her, finding an obscure figure coming toward her from the road.

It was a man. He came closer and then Julia could make out the clothes but not the face. The face was concealed beneath a hood.

Her eyes widened when the man came closer and stopped a few feet from her. It was Jin!

"Julia?" he quietly said.

It really was him? She wasn't seeing things?

"What are you doing out here?" he queried, clearly concerned.

"Jin!" Julia cried and shot up from the ground. Her arms quickly wrapped around him as a few more tears fell from her eyes.

Jin gasped, taken back by this sudden outburst of affection. He could hear her still crying and returned her hug, gently wrapping his arms around her neck. "Are you okay?" he softly asked.

Julia's tears ceased and she regained control of herself, letting go of Jin and pulling away. She was startled. "I... um..." she muttered, searching for words.

Jin shook his head with a slight smile on his face, realizing that she had probably had a little too much to drink, for he could smell a faint mix of alcohol and vomit upon her. It kind of disappointed him because the last time they met face-to-face, even when she had just been in a fight, she smelt of vanilla. He was kind of hoping that if they met, he'd be reminded of that perfect image he had of her.

He looked at her again. Even in her current condition, he couldn't help but be happy to see her. "Are... you okay?" Jin asked again, taking a step toward her.

Julia hesitated, putting a hand to her forehead. "Well... actually... no," that last word was blurted as she whirled away from Jin and back behind the dumpster.

Jin winced at the sound of her gagging. _Hm... a little too much party-time..._ he thought and went up to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder and lifting her hair from her face.

Once her stomach seemed to settle down, Julia took a few breaths and then said, "Thanks..."

Jin gently grabbed her chin and turned her face to him. Her eyes were puffy and her gaze was weary but he could still see that angelic face he so loved -- it made him feel a kind of peacefulness. He started to smile and just as he opened his mouth to say something...

Julia collapsed into his arms. She had passed out.

Jin was surprised. Seeing as she was unconscious, he sighed and said to himself, "Now what?"

He remembered running into Rila earlier that day. If she had been staying at that hotel, Julia undoubtedly was too. So, with that, he picked up Julia, cradling her in his arms. Then he started down the alley again, heading for the Sleeping Dragon down the mostly barren streets.

* * *

"Pleasure doin' business with ya," Hwoarang cockily said to some old guys at the pool table and began walking away. He had smoked them in a quick game of pool. The drunken idiots bet ALL of their money against Hwoarang and lost it quite disgracefully. 

Last he had left Rila she was still trying to make that idiot British guy beg for mercy. Now, as he made his way to the bar counter, they were both sitting upright, laughing?

Hwoarang raised a brow, weaving around the vacant seats scattered about the center of the room. As he neared, he confirmed that they were indeed acting a bit "chummy". He found a seat on the other side of Rila and signaled the bartender for a beer.

Rila was turned from him, facing towards the British guy. They were laughing and speaking in slurs, exhibiting the conventional drinking demeanor.

"Hey," Hwoarang finally said. When neither reacted to him, he said it a little louder, "Hey!"

Rila turned her head, her eyes brightening at the sight of him. "Oh, hey, Hwoarang! Hows you been?" she said with a goofy grin. Hwoarang narrowed his eyes, not sure if he wanted to laugh or be angry. Rila turned forward on her stool, looking from the British guy to Hwoarang. "Ah, you guys haven't met, huh? Okay... See here, this is Steve Fox, a British boxer," and then she turned to Hwoarang, "And this here, he's Hwoarang, uh... I don't know what he does...?"

"He's in the army," Steve suggested and gulped down his scotch (probably his fourth or fifth.)

"No, not any more," Hwoarang mumbled and finally received his beer from the bartender.

"Another one!" Steve shouted, stretching his arm across the counter with his empty glass in hand.

Hwoarang tapped his fingers across the bottle in his firm grasp. He watched as the two took a break and started guzzling down some of their drinks. "A boxer, eh?" Hwoarang said toward them with a devious smile.

"Yep," Rila replied, staring at her transparent bottle for a moment as though she forgot what she was doing.

Steve gratefully accepted another scotch and pulled it to him. Before swigging it to the last drop, he turned his head to Rila and then threw his arm around her. "Hey, love -- lovey, love?" he said, "Whats say you and I go... knock the ball out of the park. That's what you Americans say, no?"

Rila finished her drink. "Huh?" she mumbled, raising her brows. "I'm not American!"

"You're not? Are you... Spanish?"

"No."

"Puerto Rican?"

"No. I'm some other kind of American..." she answered with a lazy attitude and rolled her empty bottle across the counter.

Steve took a moment to think. "Ah, _Native_ American... You like things specific don't you?" Rila just nodded and started chuckling for no reason.

Hwoarang downed the rest of his beer and stood up, shaking out the numbness overcoming his arms. "Hey, hey," he said to Rila. "You said that I can take you home, remember?"

"I said that?" Steve answered and burst out laughing.

Hwoarang gritted his teeth and raised a fist. "Not you, dumbass!"

Rila slid off her stool, stumbling for balance. She gained temporary control of her feet and turned to the two boys. "Woo! I have an idea!" she announced, tipping from side to side. "Whoever catches me... well uh he'll be... rewarded with the time of his frickin' life! Yeah! Okay..."

Before the two could think twice, Rila was flying out the doors of the bar. Apparently, she meant to play a game of _tag_. Hwoarang and Steve took off after her, Hwoarang squeezing through the door before Steve.

"Hey, you punks didn't pay! Get back here!"

* * *

Jin stared at the path before him, an empty gaze as he moved along in auto-pilot mode. Every few seconds one or two people would walk by but he didn't notice them, not in real-time at least. There was still this unsettling feeling that something wasn't right. Maybe like someone was watching him. Before his eyes was the sheer images of goodness, who was his mother and images of evil, who was the man he'd never met, his father. Mishima Kazuya was supposedly dead but as of late, there was a constant prick to his neck as though someone of evil blood had their eyes on him, but Jin would turn around to only his own shadow. Perhaps that meant something beyond a simple truth, for the Devil Gene basically was Jin's shadow. So maybe it was his other side he was sensing. Was that any better than the alternative? 

Jin awoke from his thinking and glanced behind him, just in case. But there was no one. Just his shadow and the sound of his own tired sigh.

There was at least four more blocks until he reached the Sleeping Dragon. He scanned the area, remaining on high-alert even though none of these average thugs or pick-pockets were much of a threat.

The closer he came to the end of another block, the louder the sounds of shoes clapping against the pavement became. They were fast paced and there were a few pairs of them. Police pursuing a thief? Jin went ahead anyway, sure that he could pass before they were within range because the sound clapping had depth in volume only due to the echoes.

So he went straight across the cleared street. While crossing, he tried to peer around the flap of his hood to see what the situation with the running was about.

He could make out three figures, one lone runner at the front and a duo at the back who were pursuing. They weren't necessarily cops though. Jin tried not to pay too much attention and got on the curb of the other side of the road but then he found himself pausing. The street lamps were providing minimal lighting, beaming down in intervals while the rest of the road lie in shadows.

Jin peered around his hood entirely, catching sight of the runners every time they dashed under the street lamps. The front runner was a woman, one that might be a familiar face. She dashed under another street lamp. "Rila...?" Jin muttered, thinking that maybe she was running from someone she had angered. It wouldn't surprise him.

To Jin's relief niether of the pursuer's could be Marduk. The last thing Jin wanted was to be forced into a confrontation tonight.

Closer and closer Rila got until she was right up in Jin's face.

"Ahhh!" she shrieked and maneuvered away from Jin and into a wall. She fell to her back after what looked like one brutal impact.

Jin's mouth fell agape as he stared down at the wild Indian girl. She was rising back up on her elbows, her head lolling to and fro. He would lend a hand but he was still carrying Julia. It was a good thing Rila saw him before ramming into the both of them or else someone might've gotten a bad bruising. Actually, Rila probably _did_ have a bad bruising...

"You okay?" Jin asked, his brows creasing in concern.

Rila moaned, rubbing the side of her head that had hit the wall.

Jin wondered why she didn't just slow to a stop instead of spiraling out of control like a car without brakes. His question was quickly answered when she stood up and started talking.

"Uh... Yeah, yeah... all fine, I am..." she slurred with a salute. "Hey... You're that Jin fellow, arencha?" she said with a grin and then saw the girl in his arms. "Huh? Is that Julia?"

The two who were pursuing Rila finally caught up and Jin immediately recognized one of them, a certain Korean he had fought a few years back in a match that concluded with a draw.

Hwoarang's blurry vision settled on the Japanese guy and started to focus a bit. He stepped passed Rila with a finger pointed at Jin. "You... Kazama! Alright... come on, we'll settle the score now!"

Jin glared at him. Hwoarang was clearly drunk too as he tried to keep his balance in his _active_ fighter stance. "Come on!" Hwoarang taunted.

Jin shook his head and turned away, proceeding to the hotel.

"Hey!" Hwoarang shouted after him and started to follow, his fists raised.

"Hold it!" Rila barked and snatched his arm.

Hwoarang jerked his head to her and began to argue but she said, "You can't attack him when he's got Julia... Besides, you're all... _smashed_, y'know?"

Hwoarang gritted his teeth but settled down, watching Jin escape from him again.

"Hey, you should know it doesn't count if SHE touches YOU," Steve said, coming up next to Rila and placing a hand on her shoulder.

Hwoarang and Rila looked to him, puzzled.

"Oh yeah? I beg to differ!" Hwoarang said with a cunning smirk, almost instantly back in _happy_ mode.

"What are you talking about?" Steve disputed, "She said whoever caught _her_ gets rewarded. She caught you, not you her."

"Huh?"

Steve went on to explain.

Jin, although several paces away, caught some of the trio's words and found that he had no idea what they were babbling about. He shook his head with a little smile on his face, amused by the way the young happy-hour patrons conversed.

It was ten to fifteen minutes later when Jin got back to the Sleeping Dragon. He entered and went over to the front desk where the manager stood. He asked for Julia Chang's apartment number. The man was hesitant but he supplied Jin with the information, deciding that Jin probably wasn't "that type of guy."

Jin nodded a "thank you" to the man, went to the elevator, to Julia's floor and then to her apartment, Room 304. He realized then that he didn't have a key! "Julia has a key...?" he whispered to himself and carefully set her up against the door.

His face became hot when he looked about her. He blinked a few times and looked for pockets -- her shorts had pockets and there was also an additional pocket pouch strapped around her thigh. He checked the one on her thigh first, lifting the Velcro flap and dashing two fingers in to find nothing. Then he checked the ones on her shorts, coming out with the same results.

He leaned back, looking at her face as if to be searching for an answer. _Maybe her key is somewhere around the door..._ he thought, and stood up to search the two nearest wall lamps, finding nothing there. The apartments had no welcoming door mats and nowhere else to conceal things upon the floor. He inspected the plastic plants, the stools, and the picture frames and then ran out of places to check.

He looked back down at Julia. _Maybe..._ He shook his head of the upcoming thought and crossed his arms, standing still with the exception of his fingers drum rolling on his bicep. He looked from one end of the hall to the other, hoping that Rila would show up soon but those happy drinkers might have already passed out on the street for all Jin knew.

There was only one place left to check...

With a shaky sigh, he knelt back down next to Julia. He'd never dream of trying anything of ill-intent. And he couldn't stay out in the hallway the whole night, not with the fifth or quarter of tournament fighters staying at the Sleeping Dragon that could stroll by and instigate a fight. He just wanted to bring Julia back into her room, make sure that she was safe and then leave, hoping she'd forget that she'd seen him at all.

"Saa..." Jin muttered to himself and checked down the hall one last time, finding no one around and ensuring that the elevator wasn't on its way. He took a breath and leaned in next to Julia, looking south into her shirt.

What luck he had, for it was then that Julia came to.

She opened her eyes, seeing a certain man a little too far in her personal space. "Wha? Hey!" she squealed and slapped Jin across the face.

"Ahg!" Jin groaned and fell away from Julia, collapsing into the middle of the hall.

"What are you doing?" Julia shouted, her head throbbing mercilessly after shooting up from the ground.

Jin shook his head around, remembering how much Julia's hits hurt. He slowly recollected himself and stood up, turning to Julia with embarrassment. "It's uh... it's not what it seems..." he tried to explain, not meeting her eyes because his face was burning up.

Julia folded her arms across her chest, looking at him with a shocked expression. "Then what...?"

"I was looking for your apartment key... I checked the area... the area around your door, the apartment door I mean... and-and your... shorts pockets and..." he stuttered, in disbelief he got put into this situation. "I... couldn't find it."

Julia shook her head and placed a hand over her mouth to cover the impending laughter. Jin stared at her, confused. She wasn't mad?

She asked in between giggles, "Is that what you were doing?"

Jin nodded, utterly nervous and embarrassed.

Then Julia knelt down, tucking a finger into the flap of her boot and slipping out a key. She stood back up and held it out for Jin to see. "Here's my key!" she said, still chuckling.

Jin placed a hand over his eyes, starting to laugh himself.

They both stood there for a while, just laughing. It ceased when Julia felt the hangover begin really taking its effect.

She sighed, looking down at the floor. "I didn't really get much sleep..."

"Can't have... I only found you in in that alley about a half hour ago."

Julia smiled at him and he smiled back. There was a moment of silence and then Julia said, "Thanks Jin." He looked at her in wonderment. She glanced down at her feet and whispered, "Where will things go from here?"

Jin didn't know what to say to that. Before this day, he had it pretty much figured out but now, he wasn't sure if he could go on without her. Jin hesitated, debating the usual pros and cons.

"You know, I don't think of you as a Mishima. To me you're... you're Jin, a man with kind eyes and a beautiful soul," Julia told him softly while turning to her apartment, placing her key in the eyehole and opening the door into her room. She stepped in and looked out at the confused Jin. "And... I like you," Julia said with a smile. Then the door quietly closed.

Jin stood, stunned. He stared at the door, cleared of all the bad thoughts and thinking that maybe they _could_ be together somehow. "I like you too," he whispered and then jumped at the sound of an outburst of laughter coming out of the elevator.

It was Rila, accompanied by Steve and Hwoarang. She was tucked in between the two, her arms slung around their necks and Steve and Hwoarang with one arm around her (neck and torso.) Naturally they were singing _99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall._

Jin shook his head with a chuckle and headed off in the opposite direction for the staircase, so as not to have another encounter with the _drunken_ Hwoarang.

The trio broke off their singing when they lost coordinance.

"It was 54, you bumbling oaf," Steve argued.

"57, jackass!" Hwoarang shot back.

Steve pointed a finger in Hwoarang's face. "You are suppose to count DOWN not UP or else that just completely, utterly RUINS the entire structure of the song."

"What are you talking about? I _was _counting down. YOU are the one counting up," Hwoarang retorted and pointed a finger right back in Steve's face.

Rila started laughing and fell forward into her door. "Heheh, okay! Thanks for escorting me, nice misters," she blurted, taking out her key and fumbling around with it.

"But I won the uh... Odds and Evens game!" Hwoarang shouted out of the blue.

Steve replied, "And I won Rock, Paper, Scissors!"

"Now, boys... we can't all be winners," Rila said with a smirk. "Anyway, I never intended on becoming another notch on either of you men's bed posts so... bleh!" She stuck her tongue out and finally flung her door open, stumbling into the room.

"What? But I'm deserving!" Steve complained, shoving Hwoarang aside.

"What the fuck are you talking about? I'll show you what you're deserving!" Hwoarang said and shoved him back.

The two engaged in another squabble, oblivious to the fact that young woman had closed and locked her door and fallen asleep on the floor.

* * *

_Next Time: The shadows are encroaching upon their world. Will they notice or stay unknowing until it is too late? _


	6. A Storm's Coming!

The Soul Within  
Chapter 6 – A Storm's Coming!  
Written by: Amber M

_Author's Note: There are kinks in the plot, but I'm working on them! (nods reassuringly)_

* * *

Julia awoke late in the afternoon, consulting the digital clock on her nightstand to see that it was 3pm. She was lying on her stomach, her sheets and blanket tangled around her legs. As she stared at the glowing green numbers blinking in her face, she slowly recalled the events of the night. Her eyes shot open upon the memory of seeing Jin's face, hearing his voice. 

Before she could get into the details, a rapping irrupted upon the doorway. Julia squeezed her clawed hands into the sides of her head, trying to somehow nurture the splitting headache that had just awoken.

"Julia Chang?" a voice said from behind the door. It was definitely Xiaoyu. "Jules? Julie?" she continued, knocking at the door in between calling out to Julia.

Julia buried her head in the pillow, rubbing her face into it and wishing to go back to sleep.

"Joo—wels! It's me! Xiaoyu."

Julia heaved a sigh and finally pried herself from the bed, almost tripping from the entangled sheets. She walked across the room, staring down at her feet and seeing that she still had her boots on. Reaching for the door knob, she rubbed the side of her head and then pulled it open and peered out onto the optimistic girl.

Xiaoyu was about to knock again but then saw Julia peeking out with squinted eyes. "Julia Chang!" she said a little too loudly. She didn't see Julia wince and just let herself into the apartment. "God, I was so worried about you!" Xiaoyu said as she crossed the room and plopped down on the cushioned windowsill.

"You were?" Julia muttered with a yawn.

"Yeah. Oh! Me and Miharu were looking for you in the club and couldn't find you. We were going to come by here last night but well… we were just too pooped! And I didn't know your number so I couldn't call you… I guess you wouldn't have wanted a call though anyway. It would've just been slurred and not make any sense," Xiaoyu added with a big grin.

Julia chuckled, plucking the sheets from the ground and unraveling them.

"So when _did_ you leave anyway?"

"Um…" Julia couldn't remember the actual time it was when Jin had found her and brought her back here. "I'm not actually sure," Julia replied honestly and placed the folded sheets back onto the bed.

Xiaoyu nodded, dropping her tired gaze to the floor. Then she said more brightly, "Aw! So did you meet any guys at the club?"

Julia was faced away from Xiaoyu so she couldn't see how Julia's eyes had virtually bulged out of their sockets. Julia faltered for words. The way that Xiaoyu had chattered on and on about Jin the other day had made it seem that Xiaoyu most likely had feelings for him.

"Julia-chan?" Xiaoyu said curiously. Then she drew in a soft gasp at the feel of a whirring vibration on her hip; a pink beeper. She plucked it from her little belt and studied the screen. "OH!"

Julia turned, her facial expression stuck somewhere between shock and concern.

"I was supposed to go buy a birthday present for my mom today! Oh, no, this is bad…" Xiaoyu sounded distressed as she rose from her seat and darted across the room, "I hope I can get it shipped to her in time…" And quickly she had disappeared through the door. Julia could hear her footsteps doubling back. Xiaoyu popped her head back into the room to say "later!" to Julia and then departed again.

Julia shook her head, about to close her door when she caught sight of Rila's door a short ways down the hall. Her brows furrowed as she stepped around her door and directed herself to the apartment. Anxiously, she knocked on the door in a number of sets, receiving no reply. She thought she could hear a little rustling within the room but wasn't sure. Then she reached for the doorknob and surprisingly was able to turn it. The door opened partially before it was obstructed by some object on the floor…

"Rila?" Julia questioned, her brows creasing even more as she examined the lump on the overshadowed floor. Julia flicked on the light to confirm that sure enough, it was Rila. Seeing that Rila was breathing, she looked to the ceiling, shaking her head in disbelief. Apparently, Julia wasn't the only one who had tied one on last night. "Rila," Julia said more sternly and started poking at Rila's side with her boot.

"Cut it out, Hwoa…" Rila half-consciously mumbled.

"Huh?" Julia put her fists on her hips, confused by the statement. "Hwoa or woah? Rila, _wake up_."

Rila growled and started pushing herself up. "Huh?" she muttered as she surveyed the room. She stood up and turned to see Julia standing with an accusatory expression. "What?" she queried innocently while rubbing her eyes.

"When did you get back?"

Rila yawned and then replied, "Sometime at… I don't know." Her nose scrunched up when she caught unpleasant scents of bad breath. "That isn't just me, is it?"

Julia cupped a hand over her nose and mouth to find that her own breath wasn't that sweet smellin'. Her eyes shifted about, avoiding Rila's stare.

"So where did YOU go last night?" Rila said with indict.

"Oh… don't change the subject! I asked you a question first."

"And I answered."

Julia started rubbing at her temple, shaking her head. "Fine… So maybe the both of us have done things that we're not proud of…"

"Speak for yourself," Rila said effectively.

Julia shot a suspicious look to her. "What do you mean by that?"

"What _exactly_ are you not proud of, anyway… You didn't…"

"No! Nothing like that… I just… maybe had a little too much… beverage…" Julia muttered, fidgeting with the end of her braided hair.

"Beverage… ri—ght…" Rila rolled her eyes, yawned and then strolled out the door while dragging her feet.

"Where are you going?" Julia asked and started following her.

"Need a Mocha… and Tylenol…"

They stopped at the elevator, Rila calling it to their floor.

While watching the numbers light up overhead, Julia said, "Trusting that you know you can't mix the two... Would you mind some company? I have something I need to talk to somebody about..."

Rila leered at the serious face on Julia and shrugged as the elevator announced its arrival with a _bing_. "You'd actually go out in public like that?" she added with a smirk, referring to Julia's chaotic hair, fashioned like a messed up mop.

Julia hadn't even noticed. Her braid was fairly neat but the parts at her scalp had been pulled out of place. She examined her reflection in the golden button panel on the side of the closed doors, trying to sort out the mess as best she could.

Back in the lobby, Rila began leading the way but stopped shortly in the middle of the room. Her attention was turned to the lounging area. A smirk emerged onto her face.

Julia stopped next to her, after a second of noticing the manager guy—totally zonked out with his mouth widely agape—looking to see what Rila was so amused about.

There were two guys in the lounging area; both sleeping. Julia seemed to recognize one of them… maybe both of them but she couldn't pin their names. "You know them?" Julia whispered in the hushed room.

Rila started to chuckle in a trickster type of way and turned to examine the contents of the reception desk for a particular "tool".

* * *

"Rila—you know that was immature," Julia admonished with a touch of laughter as the two girls walked along the sidewalk outside of the Sleeping Dragon. 

Rila snickered. "Yeah, but who could resist?"

Julia shook her head, chuckling a little.

"So," Rila said as her laughs diminished, "What was it that you oh so direly needed to talk to someone about?"

Julia sighed and crossed her arms as the two stopped at the curb, waiting for the WALK sign to light up. "Well…" She hesitated and then, "Okay… You see, last night I went to a club with a couple of girls—" Rila raised an eyebrow, her face furrowing into an odd expression. "--and it was a rave, and they were serving drinks, and I had too much, and _then _I sort of ran into Jin… or rather, he sort of came across me."

Rila's eyes widened as her attention was fully piqued.

"It wasn't exactly how I'd have pictured seeing him again but…"

"Woah! Were you drunk?"

"No! Eh… not a whole lot. I passed out shortly after I saw him—and then about ten, twenty minutes later--" Julia tried to recall what Jin had told her about the time frame of unconsciousness Julia had endured but those little details had grown fuzzy. "--I woke up and got to talk to him… a little."

Rila snickered. "So, did you two…"

Julia took an offensive position, her eyes widened, mouth widely agape and limbs stiffened. She stuttered, "Wha—Of course, we didn't! I told you earlier, I didn't do anything like that! No-no, we didn't do _anything_ like that!"

"Not even a kiss? I thought you two were an item or something?"

"I never said that," Julia muttered vengefully through gritted teeth.

Rila looked thoughtfully to the road, realizing the WALK sign had appeared and started off, pondering while she casually paced across. Julia took a couple of breaths to calm herself and then went after her. Once Julia came in step, Rila said, "So… you two aren't an item—but from what I could tell… Jin likes you—and you obviously like Jin. The last tournament was like two years ago, right?" Julia sighed with a nod and started to say something but Rila went on, "Over those years, you two haven't kept in touch? Not by mail, e-mail, telephone… How long did you actually know him when you were over here last time, anyway?"

"I…" Julia shook off her thoughts and suddenly blurted, "This isn't what I wanted to talk about! Well, it is… but isn't…" Rila scratched her head and then craned her neck to see a coffee place up ahead while Julia carried on, "Alright, yes I do like Jin—I guess that is kind of obvious but… I've come to think that a certain friend of mine might have a pretty big crush on him too…"

Rila darted her eyes to Julia and exclaimed, "What? No, you got the wrong idea! He's a nice guy and all but I don't have a crush on him or anything! Seriously!"

"No, no, no…" Julia quickly murmured, gesturing for Rila to relax and bring her tone down. Then she clarified in a hush, "One of my _other_ friends… One of those girls I mentioned."

"Huh? A new friend?"

"Yeah… her name's Ling Xiaoyu and I think that she… They might have history together."

"Oh, a _maybe,_ eh? Come on, Julia! Give me something to work with here."

Julia gave her a look. "There was definitely something. I guess it could be one-sided, but even so, Xiaoyu is a nice girl."

They slowed to a stop in front of the coffee stand. Rila ordered Mocha from the lady and fished out some yen from her jacket pockets. "So, then ask her. Maybe she doesn't like him in that way and you're just being paranoid." She placed a stack of the coin on the counter while the woman rushed about the cramped little stand, putting together a medium sized cup.

"Paranoid? You have a conversation with Xiaoyu and then tell me if you still think I'm paranoid," Julia retorted with a defiant stare.

Rila roughly sighed, growing increasingly agitated. "Well, then it should be no problem asking, huh?" Julia looked off to the side, considering it. "And if she does in fact have a crush on the guy well… Put your faith in destiny."

"What?" Julia said unbelievingly.

Rila shrugged and accepted the hot coffee from the lady. With a nod and thank you, Rila started off further down the road.

Julia wished she knew the wise old soul who had raised this little punk so she could smack the person clean across the face once or twice. Shaking off the fiends dancing along her shoulder, she quickly caught up to the drifter. She got a whack to the senses when she caught a whiff of the sweet, caffeine inducing java. She knew it wasn't actually sweet but it smelled really good. Rila started downing it in gulps, missing the puppy dog pout melting on Julia's face. Julia gritted her teeth, knowing it was her own fault that she hadn't gotten her own coffee but due to the splitting headache, she was in a bitter mood.

Rila brought the cup back down and looked amusingly at the half emptiness sloshing in it. "But if she _does _like him--" Rila said, finally bringing her attention back to Julia, "--what'll you do? Would you tell Xiaoyu how you feel about him and see how she reacts?"

Julia was snapped out of her darkening temper and became weary again. She sighed, "I don't know… If I told her, she'd probably get mad at me…"

"You can make new friends."

"Rila! So, what? If WE ever get in a big argument, you'll just go make new friends?"

Rila's evil grin took form and she replied, "Maybe."

"Haha… Funny."

"Ah, don't worry. It's not like I'd have any choice in the matter; it's hard to escape the wrath of the Changs," Rila said and then finished the last of the Mocha.

Julia chuckled, shielding a hand over her eyes as the white sun peered down on them.

* * *

Jin had grown tired of being held up his room. With his meditation constantly interrupted all day by thoughts of Julia, his alternative pacing, pacing, pacing was wearing a hole in the rug. It was time to go for a walk outside. His body resisted at first but eventually he managed to push himself out the door, down the hall and into the elevator. For a second, he was staring at the button panel, his attention fixed on the number 4, Julia's floor number. It was far too significant than it should've been and he was certain that any curious bystander would probably smack Jin in the back of the head, wondering if he was real or an all too lifelike statue. Jin ended up pressing the button for the lobby, unexpectedly cursing himself for doing so. 

The elevator, after an agonizingly long duration, arrived on the lobby floor. Jin stepped out but quickly dodged back inside, pushing himself into the corner. That crazy Korean was in the lounging area.

Steve was laughing riotously at Hwoarang, pointing at his face.

Hwoarang turned his body upright, feeling gravity spinning out of control while he tried to focus on Steve. He saw that Steve was pointing but Hwoarang's attention was more quickly drawn to something just as amusing on Steve's face and suddenly burst out laughing.

Steve looked mildly surprised, wondering just what Hwoarang saw that could be more amusing than what he was seeing. "What's so funny?" Steve innocently asked.

"Well, what did YOU think was so funny?" Hwoarang asked back in between laughs. The two looked into the reflective coffee table set before them and started another round of uncontrollable laughter.

Jin, scrunched up in the elevator, felt his face furrowing, unable to comprehend what on earth could be so funny. Cautiously he pressed himself against one side of the door and peered out into the lounge.

"You did this, didn't you, you idiot?"

Hwoarang shook his head to the accusation and said, "Then why would I do the same thing to my own face?"

"I don't know buddy. It's not like I really know you so it's entirely possible in my eyes."

"Oh yeah, well, I could say the same thing about you!"

They paused… and then laughed again.

Jin groaned, shaking his head at their stupidity but he started chuckling when he saw what they were cyclically laughing about. The two were sporting the classic doodles to the face look; the more distinguished doodles on them were Steve's goatee and Hwoarang's curly mustache.

"Well, I guess just about anyone could have drawn on our faces, huh?" Steve said and stood to his feet as Hwoarang did.

Hwoarang yawned and then turned to the reception area. The manager had been roused from his sleep and was rubbing his eyes. "Hey you!" The man looked over at the two with a scowl. "Do you know who did this to us? It wasn't you, was it?" Hwoarang said with a grin.

"I should have…" the man mumbled quietly and shook his head.

Jin switched over to the other side of the elevator, next to the control panel in case he'd have to go back up.

"Huh?" Steve muttered bluntly, making Jin stiffen up, thinking that he had been spotted.

"What?" Hwoarang muttered, stopping in the middle of the room.

Steve was staring down at his reflection in the table. "R—W?" He started chuckling. "Ha, ha... I think it's a signature."

Hwoarang took a second and then chuckled as well. "Ah—Miss Rila Wolfe," he said aloud with a grin. "I can't believe she brushed me off last night." He honestly was puzzled by that. No girl simply brushed off the charming Hwoarang! Then he went on over to the reception desk and started asking the old guy about getting a room.

Steve shook his head. "Well, I might understand why she brushed you off but me?"

"Oh please, between you and me it's no contest!" Hwoarang laughed while he began signing papers.

Jin rolled his eyes, figuring that there wasn't much more of this that he could take. It sounded like Hwoarang was getting a room and so he would be taking the elevator once he was done signing in. Jin shook his head, annoyed that he'd have to take the "scenic route" to get out of the hotel. With a silent sigh, he stepped back away from the panel and raised his hand to push a button.

"You going in or getting out?"

Jin suddenly heard and looked up to see the blonde British guy.

"Who are you talking to?" Hwoarang barked from the reception's desk.

"Aye, wait just a minute.—Didn't I see you somewhere recently?"

Jin shook his head and smashed his thumb into a floor button but Steve had his hand in front of one side of the elevator door. Steve looked over to the reception desk and asked the manager guy what floor his own room was on.

"You're staying in _this _trash heap?" Hwoarang said with surprise and started toward the elevator.

"Yeah, I thought it'd be somewhat safer seeing as there are some nasties wanting to kill me."

"Well, that's understandable," Hwoarang joked, although he was partially serious. "So… Who the hell were you talking to?"

"What? Are you bloody blind? This bloke…" Steve turned to see that the compartment was empty and stepped in to investigate. "Huh? There was a…"

"Rila didn't happen to smash your head into the ground last night, did she?"

Steve sneered at Hwoarang, utterly baffled by the empty elevator. "There WAS a bloody bloke here—I'm sure of it!"

"Are you?"

Steve groaned, becoming more skeptical about himself.

"Ah well, whatever. My head's hurtin' like hell so I just want to get to my room. Move it, sparky," Hwoarang muttered and smirked mockingly. Steve let out a low growl and stepped away from the panel.

Above them, in the drafty shaft, Jin actually wanted to laugh but withheld the impulse due to the fact that they'd instantly be alerted to his presence. He took another moment to grin slyly down at the oblivious fools and then hopped off the screened roof—once the elevator started moving—down to the maintenance space below. He found a rusty metal door and opened it out to a short hallway, following the linear path to an alley outside.

The daytime life was much busier than last night and Jin was besieged by the blaring sounds of car horns, people shouting, obnoxious laughter, cats and dogs fighting among others the second he stepped from the quiet building. He started off, ambling along the messy alley, having no idea where he was going.

* * *

"Let's see… Tylenol, Tylenol," Rila muttered to herself as she weaved down the isles, looking for the medicine. 

Julia lazily followed her, increasingly tired and yawning every minute. She watched Rila disappear around the corner and then slowed to a stop in front of the cold espressos. "I need caffeine now…" she desperately murmured and opened the glass door to take one out. She heard a crash and almost dropped the plastic canister, managing to juggle it back into her grasp. With the espresso saved, she let the door fall shut and then hurried in the direction Rila had gone, hearing the start of an argument.

"You should've been watching where you were going," a low and cold male voice rumbled.

She identified Rila's voice retorting, "Me? Gramps if you weren't so lacking of senses, you might've seen me coming your way!"

Julia found the isle where the argument was occurring and saw various capsules and boxes scattered about the ground, surrounding Rila's and an older man's feet. She cautiously neared them, coming up behind Rila. "Rila, what'd you do?" Julia growled in an undertone.

"He did it! He wasn't looking where he was going," Rila insisted.

The man shot a deadly glare to Rila. Julia noticed and cringed slightly, feeling that it'd be a really bad idea to get on this guy's nerves. Somehow this guy seemed familiar too. He was in a rather expensive looking suit that was a dark purple, wearing dark shades but his eyes were faintly noticeable through them, noticeable enough to see that he was angry.

"Rila… are you SURE that it wasn't your fault…" Julia said, trying to talk some sense into the rash girl and hint at the potential danger they were in.

"No, it was NOT my fault. HE ran into me!"

The guy bent down to pick up a box from the mess and examined the label. Apparently, he actually expected an apology.

Julia calmly tried to reason with Rila, "Rila… I think it'd be BEST if you apologize now… We'll get out of here faster that way."

"Why? You know this guy?" Rila said, casting a curious glance to the guy.

"Apologize!" Julia said hastily, clawing into Rila's arm a little too hard.

Rila shook loose of her crazy grasp, wondering just what the heck she was so freaked about. She turned to the guy, rubbing her arm where Julia had dug her nails into and then stood unconvinced by his scary demeanor. He looked from the box back to her, his face emotionless. For a moment there was silence and then Rila plucked a capsule of Tylenol from the shelf without looking away. She then breezed past him, throwing a final glare his way until she reached the front counter.

Julia shook her head and then glanced up at the guy who was still watching Rila. Looking to save Rila from another lifelong grudge bearer, she piped up, "Um… I'm sorry for my friend." The guy slowly looked to Julia, not at all amused by the girl's boldness. "I'm afraid she's a bit stubborn."

"Let's GO, Julia," Rila said impatiently from the front door.

Julia grinded her teeth together, hesitant to leave matters like this but she couldn't think of anything else to say. So, she rushed by, keeping her eyes to the ground until stepping out of the store and hearing the little door bells ring behind her.

"Rila!" she growled, glowering so furiously that Rila couldn't help but be a little concerned for her. Not to mention that Julia had just stepped out of the store without paying for that espresso gripped in her hands.

"Um…" Rila pointed to the item of which she had just stolen and Julia lost her scary mask, replacing it with a more embarrassed one.

She let out a strange wounded whimper and unwillingly turned in the direction of the store. No one had rushed out raving and yelling "thief! thief!"

"Hey… I think you found your calling," Rila joked, losing humor in the event when Julia faced her with her teeth gnarled together like a dog with rabies. "Um… something—wrong, Jules?"

Julia wanted to rant and rage about the consequences that could result from this troublesome attitude Rila continually practiced but her energy was so depleted that she couldn't. Instead she let out a sigh, giving in for now and starting back the way they had come, eager to get back to her hotel room and delve into a deep sleep.

Rila scratched her head. She was sure that she was about to receive another verbal lashing and felt dumbfounded that one hadn't come. "Should I thank karma?" Rila said to herself, snickering because she believed it was so—although, she was aware that it was only a short termed effect in this case.

The guy in the dark purple suit emerged from the drug store with a small plastic bag in hand as his attention directed to the two fleeing girls.

He stood very still, looking on without expression and then plainly said:

"Chang."

* * *

_Last Note: Thanks readers! I hope you review! Oh, and here's a few words to my reviewers! _

JJ: No, Rila isn't Julia's sister. She's a friend. I think I might give a little description of how she came to know the Changs in the future.

perfect-1990: Thanks for continuing to read! I'm hoping to get to the more Julia/Jin togetherness soon. Romance stories are so tough to write, lol.

PinkForever: Lol, I don't mind puns at all! Thanks so much for reading my fanfic! I can't wait to see what you've got coming up next. The father/son relationship with Jin and John is so adorable!

Crescent-Wish-Forever: Yeah, I wish there were more JuliaJin fics too. It's always cool to have new reviewers. I hope you continue to read my little fanfic!

RavenCactuar: Haha, yeah, Rila's all about play. (Wouldn't mind being in her shoes for a while, lol.)

_You guys are awesome! Thank you all! _

_Next Time: There's a maniac who's snared some unwitting test subjects to lay some moves on. Sounds like the perfect time for a certain guy to rescue a certain girl and sweep her off her feet, right? Let's hope so..._


	7. Surprises

The Soul Within  
Chapter 7 – Surprises  
Written by: Amber M

_Author's Note: (yawns) Wow… Heh, it's been a while for an update, huh? Sorry, I think I've got the attention span of a rodent… _

* * *

"HAHAHA!" 

"Rila! Cut it out! Stop being so childish and GIVE IT BACK!" Julia shouted as she chased the heels of her crazy friend. "RILA!"

"Lookit me, I'm Julia, the Head Mistress of the Band of Thieves!" Rila laughed, weaving around the confused crowds of Tokyo citizens while she waved the cold espresso in the air.

Julia blushed, wishing direly she had bought that "dog trainer" collar she'd seen advertised on television before for a certain raving lunatic. "RILAAAA!"

"MWAHAHA!"

Little did either of them know that a pair of blue eyes had been following them from the roof of a tall building.

"Ri… la… Phew…" Julia gasped, slowing to a stop just outside an old abandoned theater. She rested her palm against the worn brick wall, shaking her head at the ground. She heard a pair of footsteps returning her way and peered up to see Rila smiling mischievously.

"Give up, street rat?" Rila laughed.

Julia groaned and straightened up. "That wasn't funny! I should've… returned that…"

"Wouldn't that just be more embarrassing?"

"Oh, you mean more embarrassing than you running crazily down the streets while conjuring new nicknames for me?" Julia retorted and snatched the espresso from Rila's hand.

"Ah, calm down! Not very many people here understand English so it's fine!"

Julia sighed exasperatedly but then became more interested in the theater, a grandiose, ancient establishment encumbered by shadows and cobwebs. It was the Kurou Theater… "Hm… It's a nice old building…" she muttered absently.

Rila shrugged. "Sure if you like creepy…. Isn't 'crow' a bad omen or something of the like?"

"You can read Japanese?" Rila just grinned. "Well… they're bad luck, I guess. I'm not sure that it's the same here in Japan but…"

"Did you hear that?"

Julia flinched, turning to Rila with wide eyes. "What? What was it?" she whispered hastily, watching as Rila moved into the entrance alcove on her tiptoes. "What?" She became increasingly agitated when Rila disappeared behind the creaky glass doors. Crossing her arms, Julia tapped a foot against the ground rapidly, waiting for a few seconds only to find that Rila was in there too long. Probably thrilling at the thought of how good a skateboard spot the empty place would be… She groaned and then quietly scurried into the building too.

Inside was pretty dark but some light pried in through the holes in the high ceiling; there was just enough to make out the objects and floor. Julia rolled her eyes when she spotted Rila surveying the room from the dusty stage. She lazily decended the stairs of the isle down to the platform and said, "Rila, let's go… There's not much here…"

"Just think if I had a skateboard!" Rila laughed, squatting down to see how level the stage floor was.

"Well… the sad fact is, is that you _don't_ have one here… so we should just…" Julia stopped on the spot when she thought she saw something up in the box seat areas. Some dust puffed into the still air from the dark box seat and one of the curtains at its side was swaying a bit. _A bird or something…? _Julia tried to reason although she knew she would've known if it was a bird right away. She was snapped from the trance when Rila ran to the area backstage. "Dammit Rila…" she muttered and hurried to follow her.

Gritting her teeth she rushed over to Rila, who was eyeing the craftsmanship of a long, wall length table, and whispered, "Let's just get out of here! Don't you still have that hangover that needs some tending to?"

Rila made an odd expression at Julia. "What? Don't tell me you're scared now? Weren't you the one marveling over this theater in the first place?"

"Let's just go!" she growled and snatched Rila by the elbow. They started gritting their teeth at each other when their attention was drawn to something else.

"AAAAAAAHH!" they both cried in unison, nearly stumbling to their seats when they saw the guy just standing a short distance away.

Rila's expression quickly shifted to confusion. "You? What the hell are you doing here you… you…"

Julia could tell that she wanted to say "freak" but could understand why she was having a hard time spitting it out. For the guy standing before them had one unforgettable face, what with that cold, hard stare and overall _deathly_ appearance. Julia accidentally shoved Rila's shoulder when she tripped over her own feet, her eyes widened at the motionless man.

"Ahg! Watch it!" Rila grunted, pushing Julia back. Before Julia could relay any word of warning, Rila spat to the guy, "Fury… Why are you here? Is this where you sleep or something?"

Julia was groaning inwardly. Not again… Rila's mouth was going to get them in trouble.

"Good, you remember my name," Bryan Fury said.

"Well, duh, it was only yesterday," Rila muttered with a roll of her eyes.

Bryan's stare then locked on the nervy girl, his icy blue eyes disturbingly unreadable. Something was definitely different about this guy from when Julia had last seen him though. He actually seemed… tired…

A smile creased onto his pasty features. "I just thought I saw a couple of girls wandering where they shouldn't…" he said in reply to one of Rila's questions.

Rila raised a brow. "Oh…" she said mock-interestedly. "So you were worried for our well-being, eh? How very gallant of you."

"Hmph… Besides… I've been bored waiting for my first match today…"

Both Rila and Julia's expression turned to anger. Rila said dangerously, "And what do you mean to say by that? You want to… _play_ with us? Well, I should warn you, we play rough!"

Bryan chuckled and shook his head. "I just want one of you. Care to guess which of you I'd like?"

Julia turned to Rila, subtly shaking her head. Rila merely flicked her eyes to Julia briefly and then glared at Bryan again. "Am I special to you?" she said mockingly.

_Oh no…_ Julia thought. That insane girl wasn't actually thinking of being left alone with this guy was she!

Bryan crossed his arms, darting his eyes to Julia as a signal that it was time for her to exit. When she didn't make a move, he gave a curt nod to Rila. She gave a strained grin and turned to Julia, muttering through gritted teeth, "It's alright… I got this one in the bag! Just wait outside and I'll be out in five minutes, okay?"

Julia hissed, "Are you serious? I don't think you realize how tough this guy actually is! He's… dead!"

"Yeah, I know! So don't worry!"

"NO!" Julia growled. "I mean he's really, truly, in actuality a walking dead corpse!"

This time Rila turned to Julia with a smile, starting to chuckle. She shook her head at the ground and clapped a hand over her mouth. Briefly regaining control of herself she said, "Oh, god, that's funny! But… ahem… this isn't exactly the time for jokes, Jules…"

"I'm not joking!" Julia insisted heatedly.

Rila sighed and waved her hand, making a gesture for her to vacate. "Yeah, yeah… Just hurry up and leave so this can be gotten over with."

"Rila!"

"Juliaaaa!" Rila mimicked while cracking her fingers.

That was it. No amount of persuasion was going to work this time so Julia stalked back around the wall to the stage. Obviously, she wasn't going to head all the way outside… No, she'd find a spot nearby… But… what if Rila was taken down? Then… he might take Julia down too? _Aw… crap! _

* * *

Meanwhile… 

Jin yawned as he walked along a sidewalk. He wasn't sure where he was in Tokyo now but the streets wherever he was were pleasantly barren with enough arm length room between all the travelers. He decided to take another left, seeing as for the last two options, he'd chosen "right". An even more deserted street appeared before him but he continued on casually.

Just when he was thinking boredom was going to take over, he accidentally kicked an object across the ground. Hesitating, he walked over to the object and bent over to pick it up. He stayed squatted down, staring at it curiously. "Cold espresso?" he muttered quietly, turning it over in a palm. He stifled another yawn and stood up.

Well, the espresso hadn't been opened so it must have been fine to drink… It was still cool too. He shrugged and started peeling off the wrapping, shrugging up against a weathered old brick wall in a shady alcove.

He had taken a gulp when the little hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as if he felt the presence of someone else. Lowering the plastic canister, he dashed his eyes down the street, only finding a pair of other pedestrians on the other side of the road. "Hmph," he muttered and took another gulp when he felt it again… another presence somewhere?

Then there was a _crash_. It was from inside the building he was near. He sat down the espresso by the wall and moved swiftly into the entrance of the building.

Immediately, he spotted someone just disappearing behind the curtains on a stage and then there were the sound of cries, shrieks, grunts…. He leapt down the stairs and slipped behind the curtains, stepping in on a guy standing over a girl whose arm he had twisted behind her back.

"Ow! OW!" the girl howled, trying to kick her feet into him while she was pressed into the floor boards.

Jin's eyes swept across the scene once more to find a third person he had missed at first because she was hanging by her feet from a curtain rope pretty high overhead. Hold on… that was Julia! And that was Rila… and… holy crap! Without a second thought, Jin dived in to throw the man he was pretty sure was Bryan Fury off Rila.

Rila scrambled to her feet, charging at the bewildered Bryan with a flurry of attacks enhanced by her rage. Seeing that she was doing fine for the moment, Jin looked for a way to get Julia down. She was unconscious, blood trickling from a wound on her forehead. He shot a murderous glare toward Bryan -- though he was too busy to notice -- and then sprinted to a ladder he saw at one end of the back room.

He climbed up and moved carefully along the plank pathway until he was standing over the upturned Julia. Looking about himself, he found the other end of the rope tangled around one of the handrails. He went to unknotting it, his fingers fumbling when he heard another blunt cry from below. He peered over the edge a little to see that Rila had launched a hard kick to Bryan's groin and was applying a second to his face. Wincing when he saw her pull off the follow-up hit, he got the rope untangled and went to carefully lowering Julia to the ground.

After a few seconds, she was sprawled on the ground and Jin let out a sigh of relief, having been sweating waterfalls after getting images of dropping her. He practically sprinted back across the flimsy plank path without care. Briefly he heard a _thud_ while sliding down the ladder.

At the bottom, he looked across the room to see Rila prodding a fallen Bryan in the shoulder, apparently checking to see if he was really unconscious. Jin then hurried over to Julia and knelt down next to her, scooping her up into his arms. "Julia?" he murmured with a little shake of her.

Julia's eyes slit open after a few seconds. "Jin?" she croaked.

"Julia…" he breathed.

Rila casually paced over and watched them with a raise of her brow. She mumbled, "Oh, great… now you two are startin' to sound like Inuyasha and Kagome…"

The two dreamily looked up at the smirking girl and then exchanged looks, blushing. Jin helped Julia stand and kept an arm over her shoulder until he was sure she was steadied.

Emerging from the old theater, Jin picked up _his_ espresso and walked alongside the two girls back down the street.

"What happened in there?" Jin asked and took a swig of the espresso.

"Overconfidence," Julia responded with a glare at Rila.

Rila shrugged. "Hey, he sucker-punched me! There was nothing I could do about that… dirty coward…" she muttered.

Julia glanced to Jin at her side and noticed the espresso—she hadn't realized that she'd dropped it earlier. "Wait… that's mine!"

Jin's eyes widened at her. "Huh?"

"That espresso! Where did you…?"

"Uh… I just found it outside… I didn't… Do you want it?"

"Backwash!" Rila laughed, receiving glares from the other two. She plastered a big grin to her face.

Julia shook her head at the ground with a smile on her face then said to Jin, "Never mind… you can have it."

"You sure?" he asked slowly and hesitantly took another gulp of the espresso after Julia nodded.

Rila yawned, stretching her arms into the air. "Ah… besides, it wasn't really _hers _to begin with," she pointed out and grinned when Julia stared daggers her way.

* * *

The rest of the walk back to the Sleeping Dragon was devoid of surprises, which Julia was very grateful for because it was actually the first time she'd gotten to speak with Jin. He hadn't said a whole lot but it was still pretty nice. By the time they stepped into the quietude of the lobby, they were talking about their next matches. 

"You're fighting Nina Williams next?" Jin asked Julia.

She nodded with a slight grimace on her face. "Yeah… I guess I get a rematch. She defeated me in the last tournament…"

"I haven't seen much of her. Her fighting style is based on Bone Martial Arts and Akido though, right?"

"Hm… Yeah, I guess…" Julia replied vaguely.

"I'm not an expert on either style but just from observation, I would suggest being aggressive, go at her relentlessly and try to get a chain started. But don't let her grab you because… well, the reason should be obvious…" he said and they both nodded, stopping in the middle of the lobby.

"Hey, I found a lucky penny!" Rila said suddenly and plucked said coin from the floor. She only noticed the stares from the other two after seconds of examining the penny. She then strode off with a grin and said over her shoulder, "No, you can't have it…"

Jin and Julia exchanged looks and then chuckled.

When the laughing ceased, Jin said, "So, is she a tournament competitor too?"

"She _was_…"

"Already taken out?"

"Yeah… by a guy named… Hwoarang?" Julia answered unsurely.

Jin blinked at that. "Oh."

"Uh-huh… I wish I could have seen that one but it was held in the _jungle_. Kind of an odd location for a fight… I forgot to ask Rila about that…" she muttered, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling. When she did get to asking something about that fight match, Rila had been rather mysterious about it. Maybe _she_ was hiding something… but what and why? Julia was brought back from her thoughts when she heard Jin speaking again.

"…And her fighting style… Is it something based off of Tae Kwon Do?" Jin queried. When Julia raised a confused brow, he added, "Only speculation from when I saw her fighting Bryan."

"Right… Come to think of it… I've never actually seen Rila fight before… even though she's notorious for it back in Arizona," she mumbled with a roll of her eyes.

Jin laughed. "She certainly seemed ready to fight that big gorilla, Marduk earlier."

Julia clapped a hand to her forehead exasperatedly but couldn't resist joining Jin's laugh over it. His laughter was truly something special; because it seemed like he didn't do it often. She wondered where he'd been in the past years. Here in Japan, training? But something about the Jin she saw now was significantly different from the one she saw two years ago. He seemed more… tense… maybe even unnerved.

Before she could ask anything of it, something happened.

Jin had abruptly stopped laughing, his face gone hard as stone, devoid of emotion. His eyes flitted to the hotel doors which were closed. No one seemed to be behind them, no one looking inside as far as Julia could see. What was wrong then?

"Jin?" she whispered, staring at him concernedly.

His mouth moved but no words came out. And then he murmured something in Japanese and kind of drifted out of the room in the next second. He had gone up the stairs which Julia watched blankly.

What the heck just happened?

Her heart sunk, Julia slowly went for the elevator, scuffing the heels of her boots on the tiles. One minute Jin had seemed happy and then the next he just up and takes off? Had he sensed something? Someone? She didn't know what to make of this… Maybe he had forgotten to turn off the oven in his apartment… No!

Julia slapped her head as she stepped into the elevator. Something was up but it may not be her place to ask anything of it, to think any longer than she had on it.

She pressed her thumb to her floor button and stared blankly at the door until the compartment jerked to a halt. The doors slid open with a _ding_. Immediately she raised her brow when the hall was revealed. Rila was talking animatedly with the red-head from the lobby—Hwoarang? Yeah, that was his name…

Casually approaching them, she crossed her arms and listened.

"…I don't NEED a bodyguard! Why oh WHY did I blurt that out!" Rila said exasperatedly to herself.

Hwoarang leaned a hand against the frame of Rila's apartment door. "Well, I happen to know how bad that Bryan guy can be. How exactly did you escape him anyway?"

"I didn't run away! I kicked his ass!" Rila complained, the color rising in her face. The two glared at each other until they noticed Julia. "Oh… hey, Jules. Where'd Jin run off to?"

Neither of them noticed Hwoarang's muscles twitch at the mention of Jin. He stood up straight and crossed his arms tightly, listening more carefully.

"Did you see him?" Julia asked eagerly.

"See him? I just saw him a few seconds ago in the lobby… with you… Why would I see him?"

"Oh… n-never mind…"

There was a silence. Rila glanced about the ceiling idly and then smiled. "Right, I forgot!" she said brightly, positioning herself between Julia and Hwoarang, "Julia Chang this is Hwoarang… uh… what's your last name?"

Hwoarang blinked, his confused gaze shifting into that trademark smirk of his. He chuckled, "Don't have one!"

"Are you serious?" Rila inquired dramatically. "Well… okay… Ah, and Hwoarang this is Julia Chang… needless to say but hey, proper etiquette, eh?"

The two shook hands and the mood seemed to lighten.

Rila looked back up at Hwoarang and asked, "So, where'd Steve go?"

Hwoarang sniffed indignantly. "What? I'm not enough for you? I think you could use a few more lessons in politeness, babe," he joked with a smile.

"Haha… and if YOU call me 'babe' one more time, I'll have to rearrange your pretty face!" she replied in a mock-perky voice.

"Oh, yeah?" he retorted snottily.

"Yeah!" Rila mimicked.

Julia sniggered and started to back towards her apartment. "Alright, I can see I'm becoming the third wheel here so…"

Rila turned her head back to her, appearing as if she'd just noticed her. "Huh? Oh, nah, you're not a third wheel! We should go check out an arcade, eh? They have those here, right?" she muttered to Hwoarang, who pursued his lips, thoughtfully searching the air.

"I thought you had a headache to nurse?" Julia said while narrowing her eyes.

"Oh—ye—ah…" she responded goofily and gave a "later" nod to Julia.

The two went back to debating the earlier discussion by the time Julia stepped into her apartment and closed the door quietly. She heaved a sigh when she saw the room devoid of further distraction. _Now then… back to sleep…_

And with that she belly flopped onto the mattress and buried her face into a pillow. Instead of falling right to sleep, she turned her head towards the uncovered window, seeing part of a taller building across the street as well as other obstructions further away. Since the early hours had gone, she could hear more of the daytime life breaking through the walls. At least it wasn't really, really noisy…

After a few seconds, her heavy eyelids closed and then there was nothing but darkness.

* * *

"…Erg… I… didn't take that… bread… monkey did… erg… Huh?" 

A crash shattered the silence. Shiny particles of imaginative shapes rained into the shadows... No. Into her _apartment_, dropping quietly to the cheap carpeting.

Julia awoke startled. Shocked up onto her elbows, she gawked at the window which had just been broken and then the person standing in it. A man with glowing eyes ducked into the room over the padded windowsill with dark crimson dripping from his hands. His hands smeared red on the walls as he pulled himself in. Julia couldn't make her body move, couldn't get up even though her mind was screaming bloody murder. She watched, immobilized as he took another step closer and stopped, his menacing eyes marking her dead.

* * *

_Next Time: A stalker zeroes in on his prey, and suddenly the Sleeping Dragon is very, _very _awake. _


	8. Unfinished Business

The Soul Within  
Chapter 8 – Unfinished Business  
Written by: Amber M  
Rated for: Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes

_Author's Note: I know, I know! I said I'd have these chapters up sooner. I really need to stop saying such things since I have problems with deadlines… _

* * *

"Y-you…" Julia stammered, just starting to inch away from the guy. 

He withdrew a gun from the holster strapped to his pants and casually went to loading it. "Hmm. Guess I got the room numbers wrong. Or are you sharing this room?"

Julia felt her breath catch. The crazy bastard was actually going to _kill_ Rila? Her eyes flitted to the gun he was examining. "Are you really such a coward—" she said, her eyes hardening, "—that you can't use your own strength to fight a little girl?"

Bryan sneered. "This? No, no, this is for negotiations," he replied coolly with a twisted grin and then went to adjusting the sleek night vision goggles over his eyes. "Now, then… tell me which room your friend is in." His eyes seemed to glow like a cat's, really emphasizing the Cheshire's smile look.

"I don't think so."

"I'm not asking!" he growled more menacingly and took a step closer with the gun pointing in Julia's face.

"Whose blood is that?" she replied, determined to find her calm. All she needed was for him to fall off guard for a second and she'd have a chance to get out of this mess.

He dashed his eyes down the rolled up sleeves to his forearms. Smiling, he replied, "Ah, that… just the result of a…. little misunderstanding, heh… Now, then, back to my question. Which room is Miss Rila Wolfe currently residing in?"

Hesitating, Julia thought over the situation. With a straight face, she finally responded, "Room 127… the second floor."

"Really…" Bryan said skeptically, his eyes narrowing.

She nodded with a stone hard expression that was quite convincing. Bryan bought it.

Wordlessly he locked the handgun and went prowling back out of the window. He seemed to drop right off the ledge although no sound followed, meaning it was unlikely that he met a _splat_ down on the roads below. Although, Julia knew that expecting such a thing was only wishful thinking...

And why was she thinking!

She slapped her head and leapt up from the bed, fumbling with the door for a bit and then scrambling out into the hall. The hall was empty but for some moths and spiders here and there. Apparently the sound of windows violently breaking was not unheard of in this neighborhood.

Her shaky hand wrapped around the brass door knob of Room 325… and it actually turned. Julia hesitated for a moment, listening for anything that wasn't her own relentlessly pounding heart.

She then threw the door open and stepped into the room, her expression quickly flipping into a confused one.

"What?" she uttered upon seeing the backside of a familiar jacket.

Jin turned around with a similarly surprised expression. "Julia?"

"Julia?" Rila repeated from sitting on her bed. She leaned forth to see past Jin and went wide-eyed as well. "Julia!" she said brightly with a nervous grin. The girl snatched up some books that were sprawled in front of her and held them tight to her chest. "Haha… I thought you'd be riding the dream boat 'til morning..."

"W-what? What's going… Ahg, never mind. We need to call the police or something!" Julia said urgently.

"Huh? Why?"

"What happened, Julia?" Jin quickly asked, immediately up and ready to defend his... Julia...?

Julia shook her head. "B-Bryan… Bryan Fury. I think he wants to kill Rila."

"Whaaat?" Rila said incredulously. "What do you mean? Where'd you get something like that?"

"Didn't you hear the crashing glass? He broke into my apartment!"

Jin started to move past Julia when she latched onto his arm to stop him.

"Wait! He has a gun! I don't think you should—"

Rila snorted. "A gun? That crazy son-of-a—"

"The police won't be able to do anything. Just let me handle it," Jin said coolly.

Julia shook her head again, holding onto him with two hands now. "No… You might—"

"I've taken more than a few bullets before, Julia," he said with a slight smile, that was painfully mirthless.

The memories of that night were still fresh in her mind. She wondered if he knew that she'd witnessed that horrible scene. She looked up into his eyes again. They were so dark, intense and passionate. Then, without even knowing she'd done it, she leaned up and kissed him lightly on the lips. She felt his muscles shift beneath her hands, such controlled power reassuring her hesitant intuition. Quietly she drew back, blushing slightly.

And Jin looked even more stunned than when she'd first burst in.

"Uh… I'll…" Jin took a breath and then more calmly said, "Don't worry about me. I'll be back in a little bit."

"He should be on the second floor. Room 127 if he hasn't already figured out I was lying," Julia reluctantly said.

Jin nodded confirmation and then ran out of the room.

Leaving a worried Julia to watch an empty doorway. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling when she heard familiar snickering from behind her. Her braids whipped through the air when she whirled on Rila. "This is NOT the time to be laughing."

Rila stroked her chin. "Yeah… I know… but come on, you know he can handle a worn out cyborg like Bryan with ease."

"Yeah... Jin is strong… Everything about him tells me he can survive the worst perils any one person can see. I just wish that I could help him..." she said, smiling sadly.

"Aww. You're falling hard, aren't ya? But don't get all down! He--"

There was another silence shattering _crash_. The two girls looked toward Rila's window, listening as the sounds diminished from the floor below.

"Two guesses who that is," Rila muttered.

"I can't take this," Julia said hastily and departed before Rila even saw her.

Running down the stairs, once or twice Julia almost ended up tumbling down. Her mind raced with thoughts, her heart pounded with fear. It was not only Bryan's gun she had to worry about. What if the same thing that happened two years ago were to repeat itself tonight? The situation was familiar. What if Jin turned into that demonic creature? And what if he couldn't change back?

Her feet skidded to a halt as she almost went down an extra flight of stairs and then she tore through the second floor doors into an eerily quiet hall. She slowed down to a silent trot, her eyes watching the one open door in the hall. There was something peeking out of the door on the floor. It looked like a hand but Julia couldn't be sure for whatever it was had quickly been pulled out of sight. The door shortly slammed shut behind it.

_Oh god…_ Julia thought in horror.

She got up to the door and managed to wrap a shaky hand around the doorknob. Carefully she turned it and pushed into a darkened room. With the door about half way open, she leaned around it to see inside. Another lump formed in her throat when she saw Bryan's outline looming in another glass sprinkled window alcove.

He was just standing there. The man might've been mistaken for a gargoyle statue but very slightly, his moonlit outline seemed to quiver. After a long pause, he suddenly moved, reaching a hand down to pick up a lump from the ominously dark floor.

The brunette acted without thinking. Swiftly Julia dodged into the room, launching herself into the air with her leg taking lead. Her boot met the back of Bryan just as he noticed what was going on. The cyborg was forced forward, releasing whoever it was that he was about to drag out the window and instead being thrust into the chilling night air himself.

Like some kind of twisted nightmare, he managed to latch onto the iron wrought balcony outside the window. He cursed violently, his bloodstained hands slowly edging up the railing again.

Julia gasped quietly and then pulled herself from the alcove. She looked down to see who Bryan was about to throw out and her brows knitted together.

"Steve Fox?"

The blonde boxer couldn't answer. A nasty wound on his forehead was bleeding ceaselessly and he was unconscious. Julia heard Bryan's slippery hands squeak on the metal bars outside, the brunette twitching when she heard him bellow a curse into the air. Then she heaved the heavy guy into her arms, gripping him beneath his and started to drag him back out of the room.

Where the hell was Jin?

As if summoned by thought, a blur of spiky black hair rushed up to Julia, panting and coughing for breath.

"Where were you?" Julia whispered agitatedly.

"I uh… Is he alright?" Jin broke off, just noticing Steve.

"Not very. Bryan's in there!"

"In… I'll take care of him," he murmured and went into the room.

"I thought that was what you were doing earlier!"

Since he obviously didn't hear her, Julia went back to dragging the boxer down the hall. Gladly Rila chose to arrive at the scene then.

"What's going… Hey, that's Steve!"

"Yeah, I realize that. He needs a doctor!"

"Uh… O-okay… I'll call an ambulance!" the girl said and sprinted back the way she came.

Julia decided she'd move Steve into the elevator and down into the lobby. Her eyes kept nervously flitting back to the door. She was walking backwards, knocked over a couple of small plants and stools but got to the elevator pretty quickly. Blood seemed to be pounding in her ear while she strained to hear what was going on further down the hall. She couldn't really hear anything. Only the groaning of cables resonated behind her.

The golden painted doors finally slid open then Julia got herself and the boxer inside and punched the lobby floor button. Promptly the elevator jerked, shaking as it made its descent.

She wondered if Jin could turn into that demonic creature at will. But if that was the case…

The doors slid open again.

Julia sighed of relief when she saw familiar red beacons flashing outside. Two men dressed in white uniforms jogged across the lobby with a stretcher. They scooped Steve up onto it and glided back across the floor. Rila appeared and went running after them, apparently not noticing Julia standing in front of the doors of the elevator.

She wasn't sure why she was there still. She was frozen. Maybe she was afraid to find that demonic creature upstairs. Somehow she knew that Jin could handle Bryan, that he already did in fact.

Briefly she felt as though she couldn't breathe again but quickly regained herself and leapt up the stairs two at a time. She couldn't stand the waiting time of the elevator—it seemed like the wait time was ridiculously stretched when she was in such a nervous state.

_Jin's not evil. I'll go up and see that he's defeated Bryan with his own hands. He won't have black wings or malignant red eyes. He'll just be Jin. He's not evil… _

That was her mantra.

But instead of soothing her, she felt hot tears begin to sting her eyes. Why?

Because she knew it wasn't true.

_No! Just wait. I'll see that he's still… _

Her thoughts had carried her to the door of 127. Biting her lip, digging her nails into her palms, she slowly pushed into the dark room. She stepped around the door, cocking her head to one side while her eyes surveyed the shadows. No one seemed to be there…

"Julia…"

Julia stiffened. It was a ragged, slightly rasped voice. Not Bryan's… Possibly a mangled version of—

"Jin?" she whispered, turning around quickly, her eyes wide, her expression contorted with concern and fright. She narrowed her eyes, trying to adjust to the darkness for she couldn't see him.

And then for a fleeting moment, two slits of red seemed to dash in and out of sight like the flicker of a cat's eyes. A lump rose in Julia's throat. She managed to swallow it down when Jin emerged from the deep shadows behind the door. No wings. No glowing red eyes.

Unknowingly she let out a long sigh of relief. She relaxed some and looked about herself. "Where's Bryan?"

"Ran away."

"Scared him off?"

"I guess. He seemed to be hit with a spell of lethargy. He's definitely not coming back tonight."

Julia nodded vaguely, distracted by the features of Jin's face. "Are… you okay?"

He raised his brows. "Hm? Yes. You?"

She nodded again. Cautiously she moved closer to him, her eyes still a bit wide, gauging him. Something was different but she couldn't pin just what it was.

"What is it Julia?" he asked, deadpanned.

When she got into close proximity, she felt a shudder creeping down her throat. Was she afraid of him? Mentally she shook her head, drawing a hand up to touch his face. He felt a little cold. Or maybe it was just her clammy palms. She ran her fingertips up his strong jawline, battling the hesitation rattling in her hand. The smallest sway of his raven bangs even had the potential discourage her, but she stayed by him.

He didn't really seem to react by her touch at first, his eyes dark and unreadable. Then that veil seemed to fall from them and those kind eyes returned. Julia smiled slightly at that, slipping her fingers up his cheek. Even the warmth of his skin had risen—or _her_ temperature had risen. He then put his own big hand gently over hers. A smile stayed on his face for a few seconds and then sagged into a frown.

"I don't want to hurt you."

Julia scrunched her brows. "…What?"

"There's… some things about me that are just too horrible… I've seen what true darkness looks like. And I've been a part of it."

"Jin, I already know about—"

"What the _hell_ is going on down here?" a male voice inflected with arrogance and toughness said.

She looked out to see the Korean she'd met earlier scrutinizing the busted door. He finally looked up and his brows rose up toward his hairline.

"Huh? Julia? What's going on?"

Julia turned to see that Jin had disappeared. He was pretty sneaky. _Wonder why he left? _

She shook her head and replied, "Um... Steve was attacked. He was taken to the hospital…"

"Attacked? By you?" Hwoarang said, awestruck, shoving his hands in his jean pockets.

Julia rolled her eyes at his overly-amused expression. Patiently she went on to explain what had happend in the last five minutes. It was somewhat hard to believe there was enough to create an interesting story out of. Hwoarang listened and nodded occasionally, a rather serious look in his fierce eyes. When she got to the part about finding Bryan about to toss Steve out like he was luggage...

"Tch, don't be modest. You saved his ass didn't ya?" the Korean laughed.

Julia chuckled slightly, shaking her head. She rubbed an eye sleepily. "Well, I guess I'll just go back to my room now…"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Bummer I missed all the excitement…" Hwoarang mumbled disappointedly and walked back out into the hall. "See you later, Jules. Take care of yourself," he said with a little wave over his shoulder.

"You too," she replied nicely and went down the hall.

Ah… Hwoarang seemed like a nice guy but man what sucky timing that was! Actually it could've been worse. What if he _had_ come in later and she and Jin were…

Julia winced. _Don't be stupid! Nothing happened and… nothing was going to happen. That's all there is to it. Time to move on…_

Talk about asking a lot.

* * *

There were some good things to be said about the night. Against heart-stopping foreshadowing, she didn't see the demon that courted her fear in nightmares. Nobody came out seriously injured. And… well, she just couldn't get it put across how much respite came from just looking into Jin's chocolate eyes.

Sighing, Julia lazily shuffled into her room and stopped with her toes just at the edge of the fan of broken glass. She moaned, thinking that she should probably clean this mess up and do something about the open window before trying to sleep.

"You might want to borrow a vacuum from the custodian."

"This place has a cust…" Julia stopped mumbling and darted her eyes to her bed. Jin was lying there with his hood over his eyes like he was asleep. "I probably don't have to ask if that's you, Kazama but uh…"

Jin laughed. He remained lying down, his eyes hooded until he finally decided to sit up. He swiped a hand over his head to push back the hood and then looked up to Julia languidly. "Sorry if it seems intrusive but someone completely tore my room apart."

"Bryan?"

Jin shrugged. "I don't know but I probably shouldn't go back up there unless I want to swallow daggers or bullets in my sleep."

"So… So, you came _here_?" she queried shakily, feeling a blush scoot across her cheeks.

He nodded.

For a while they stared at each other. Something was nagging Julia but she still didn't know what. She couldn't read his eyes so well for they were blurry from sleep deprivation. What harm could come from letting a clearly sleepy guy who was Jin share her room for a night? It was a double bed. There was enough room. And two pairs of fists were better than one should another psycho come roaring.

"I didn't want to leave things unfinished either."

Julia's breath caught. Just what exactly did that mean? "Uuum…"

He abruptly stood up and approached her, blowing away any words she wanted to say. Movements graceful, powerful and captivating left her breathless and weak.

"I can't leave us like this," he said quietly.

"Jin, what—"

"Shh." He placed a finger upon her lip, shushing her. Then he moved his hand down to her chin and applied a tender kiss to her lips… a passing moment of nothingness and something at the same time that she didn't want to let go of. She felt like she could fall into him, absorbed in the passion that pulled her in through such taintless, beautiful lips. One specific emotion though shined through most to part the dark clouds. Happiness.

He pulled away from her, Julia longing for more as the lingering heat of his touch pressed to her skin like imprints in the sand. Quietude settled where they just saw each other. His eyes intensified, turning darker until color was almost indiscernible. Julia gulped as butterflies decided then to burst to life all at once. Gentle hands moved over hers, pulling them together between them. A steady gaze held her skittish one, silently questioning, asking for something that made her heart race.

There was no sound at all while Julia struggled to understand.

* * *

_Next time: How could one walk away from paradise? How could the other reject it all together? Perhaps the answers lie so deep that a single step in will leave one drowning in eternal darkness. _


	9. Resilience

The Soul Within  
Chapter 9 – Resilience  
Written by: Amber M.

_Author's Note: (cringe) 2 years huh? I... don't really know what happened. Loss of motivation or lack of ideas...? I am shame-faced... Please forgive me? _

_Well, recently this story has gone through some pretty heavy revisions. So if you were to re-read it maybe you'll find contentment and_ maybe_... even feel a little inclined to review... again? Heheh, just... a suggestion... _

* * *

It seemed like she had so much to think about, so many things to take her from the violence playing out before her. And yet obliviousness swirled through her mind like a vapor. Whenever she made the effort to open her mind, voices upon voices upon voices would impinge her nerves like the echoes of a bad dream. This would happen to her in broad daylight, and force her to seek seclusion wherever she could find it. 

Inhaling a long breath, she tilted her head back, closing her eyes to the sun shining through sparse clouds. Similarly, if she tried, she could hear the surf breaking on the warm beach, mother earth's placid song caressing the glimmering ocean, and the soft murmur of her heartbeat resounding silently through every living thing. But when Julia _did _try to escape to that place of tranquility, the pangs of guilt only pronounced themselves within her chest.

Because, she knew, she was not supposed to run from her troubles. There would never be an escape for her. With this in mind, all she needed now was to summon the courage to find the demons constantly taunting her from afar and confront them head on.

She sighed wearily as her bubble of privacy eroded and the cacophony of riotous fighters blasted through her. Even standing as far back from the crowd as she could while needing to know what was going on, she was getting the whole smelly experience.

The preliminary matches of the King of Iron Fists Tournament 5 yielded the biggest turnout ever. Hence reason one there was little choice but for _her_ to search for those familiar faces that'd all but disappeared from the world. It was somewhat daunting she'd yet to see any familiar face when it was already the fourth day since the tournament opened. Never mind the ridiculously overflowing culmination of people.

The site of the preliminary rounds was near the coast, an open wall dome harbored a makeshift ring at its center so called the "Pit" where five to seven would-be fighters entered and duked it out until only one was left standing. It was a little scary how easily people could become beastly when placed in the right position. Locked in a rusty cage while others taunted and screamed at you from the outside was effective in show. Julia wasn't very eager to enter the Pit.

She would calm herself with her alibi for entering this tournament when her nerves got too active. _To retrieve the stolen reforestation data._ It was barely a month since the last tournament. Much suspicion surrounded the short time frame in between, and rumors of all sorts bandied about from the appalling to the plain ridiculous—she actually heard mention that a swarm of bears led by Heihachi's former pet stormed the final battle site and extinguished all of the Mishimas!

She let out a woeful sigh as she returned her gaze to the ground. To top everything off, Julia hadn't gotten to visit with her mother in Arizona because of this abruptly initiated tournament. And she'd tried calling but for some reason she only got the answering machine...

Oh, would the rain clouds ever part?

"Joo—lee—ah!"

Julia turned around to her name and was surprised by a rushing blur of pink and squeals. She grunted as she was squeezed by a person she was fairly certain was Xiaoyu. "Hi… Xiao… yu," she managed to choke out.

Xiaoyu released her and hopped up and down, beaming brightly. "I was sooo afraid I was going to be all by myself this time! You see Miharu's family insisted she go to China for her grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary, so she's gone, and I thought I'd have to make friends with some big ol' hairy guy or something! I mean look at these guys. Yuck! You can't imagine how happy I am to see you, Julia-chan!" and she squeezed Julia again for emphasis.

Julia vaguely wondered how Xiaoyu, petite and bearing the look of one who could be easily taken advantage of, managed wandering around these tough crowds alone. Besides her surprising display of strength in a hug… it seemed like she would at least…

Julia's eyes widened very slightly as a wide path was hewed through the crowd, making way for a two-hundred-something pound Giant Panda. Ah, right… Julia recalled Xiaoyu mentioning something about an _exotic_ pet and best friend before…

"Oh! Panda-chan!" Xiaoyu greeted, laughing happily as she finally relinquished Julia to hug the bear.

"Phew," Julia puffed, recovering her missed breaths. Then straightened up to her tiptoes to glance around the room once more, searching the faces as she was suddenly renewed with the hope that there was still time to find everyone else. "So… have you seen any of the other competitors from the last tournament?" she asked, returning her attention to Xiaoyu.

Xiaoyu made a ponderous expression. She looked at Panda, who nodded, igniting a thoughtful look on the Chinese girl's young face. "Ah! You know, I'm pretty sure I saw that boxer guy. The one with the blonde hair and _foxy _face?" she said with a little giggle. Then she pouted. "But he disappeared before I could get to him and ask for his autograph. Oh well… it looked like he was with someone anyway, and she didn't look like the type I'd want to contend with over any guy."

She was talking about Steve. Could the girl he was with be…

"Hey! Fight! Fight!" a voice suddenly shouted over the buzz of the crowd.

Julia and Xiaoyu looked toward the commotion away from the official ring where the fights were _supposed_ to be conducted.

"You little floozy! Stay the hell away from him!"

"Shut it, bitch! He's the one who was looking at _me_!"

"Yeah, and wondering where child control is!"

Julia's eyes widened. She craned her neck, trying to see over the crowd that'd now decided to bunch around the voices of two angry girls. "That sounded like Rila," Julia said.

She, Xiaoyu and Panda shoved their way through the smelly hordes until arriving at a small circle where sure enough Rila was, glaring daggers at a small blonde girl who had her nose turned up and her arms crossed imperially. Steve stood behind Rila trying to calm her down without success.

When the two girls became only more riled the longer they were near each other, issuing curses that got more cutting and gestures more threatening, Steve seemed to draw the line and hauled Rila up in his arms.

"Gah! Put me down! I'm gonna teach that little bitch a lesson! Put me down!"

The blonde girl smiled maliciously, and dramatically sighed with a flick of her hair. "Oh, how tough it is to be so popular. Hey, does anyone want to carry my bags to my hotel suite?"

Julia and company managed to tail Steve until they were beyond the smell-incorporated assembly and able to stretch in the refreshingly _clean_ air. Heaving a deep breath, Julia placed her hands on her hips as she looked over her shoulder, so relieved to get away from the "pit" down the sand-colored stairs where handfuls of fighters were duking it out to see who would advance. Julia didn't have to enter the rusty ring until tomorrow, but she'd come to keep an eye out for familiar faces. Like the ones she turned forth again to see.

Rila was chewing into Steve for pulling her away against her wishes but he seemed blissfully unaffected. Julia had to admit...

She felt like she was one step closer to home, standing distantly on the darkened vista.

* * *

"I see you've had a change of a heart regarding the penthouse," Julia stated blithely, moving over to the wide windows that overlooked the pearly beach far below. 

The group were in the lavishly setup dwelling. Rila sat on the floor between Steve's legs as he lounged back on the couch with an island-style drink in hand. Xiaoyu and Panda were browsing the extensive DVD library filed against one wall, seeming rather elated to find Spirited Away.

Steve laughed. "I guess I got more used to the rich and famous life than I thought. When I had to do without, honestly I felt a little lost. Besides, with all this tournament mayhem, I doubt the mob is going to chance getting involved when cameras are flashing this way and that," he said, and then took a sip from his drink.

Xiaoyu suddenly gasped. "So, you could have a trampoline brought up here? How fun would that be to have one in your 'crib'! You want a fun crib, _right_?"

"Are you trying to convince me a trampoline is cool?"

"And good for your health!"

Steve and Rila laughed, shaking their heads "no" much to the Chinese girl's disappointment. Julia crossed her arms and turned to face them. "Do any of you find this whole tournament business suspicious?"

"Anything about the Mishimas is suspicious," Rila said dryly.

"No. I mean… whoever wins becomes CEO of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Who could authorize that with Heihachi dead?"

The room was silent as they swam in their own thoughts.

Then suddenly, _loudly_:

"Maybe it's JIN!" Xiaoyu said excitedly. Before anyone could open their mouth in quiet response, she went on, "No, think about it! He wins Tournament 5 and then maybe because he's so modest or maybe because he doesn't want anything to do with the Zaibatsu he decides to throw another tournament to get it taken off his hands. That sounds possible, right?"

Rila was the first to make a rebuttal with a doubtful "hum". "Yeah, but if he really defeated that Kazuya guy AND Heihachi would he really think that there's anyone else more powerful than himself? We don't even know if it was easy or difficult for Jin to take them out. But I guess there is that _wee _little possibility he doesn't intend to fight. Then again his body's built for it..."

Xiaoyu slumped again, sighing sadly.

"I guess we can't really figure it out on our own. We don't have enough information," Julia said without emotion, although inside she couldn't stop thinking about what could have happened at Honmaru.

A plague of nightmares set upon her since... well...

* * *

_Flashback_

"I can't leave us like this," he said quietly.

"Jin, what—"

"Shh." He placed a finger upon her lip, shushing her. Then he moved his hand down to her chin and applied a tender kiss to her lips… a passing moment of nothingness and something at the same time that she didn't want to let go of. She felt like she could fall into him, absorbed in the passion that pulled her in through such taintless, beautiful lips. One specific emotion though shined through most to part the dark clouds. Happiness.

He pulled away from her, Julia longing for more as the lingering heat of his touch pressed to her skin like imprints in the sand. Quietude settled where they just saw each other. His eyes intensified, turning darker until color was almost indiscernible. Julia gulped as butterflies decided then to burst to life all at once. Gentle hands moved over hers, pulling them together between them. A steady gaze held her skittish one, silently questioning, asking for something that made her heart race.

There was no sound at all while Julia struggled to understand.

Finally…

She closed her eyes, her lips quivering lightly as she whispered, "I'm sorry, Jin," and turned away.

She didn't want to open her eyes. She didn't want to let go, but her hands slipped from his of their own accord just as her heart broke beneath the swells of angry tides. But what right had she to be angry? There was nothing right in her actions if she couldn't even open her eyes and face the fears whispering through her veins.

Slowly her eyelids parted to find a painfully emotionless face recoiling further into the shadows of her wrecked apartment room. Words failed her although she wished desperately to form at least one.

He spoke before she could. "Don't say anything."

Tears welled in her eyes, searing.

"I feel ashamed of myself… for trying to… taint you."

"No, Jin! That's not—"

"You're precious, and belong in the sun. And you deserve someone who can love you with all of his soul. Something which I cannot do."

With those words ringing through her, he quietly moved around her and disappeared out the door. Julia shivered, left only with that deep voice wracked with heartache cutting through her soul. She hugged herself tightly, shudders of sorrow escaping her throat as she lowered herself to the ground.

There she stayed the rest of the night, like a broken animal.

_End Flashback_

* * *

"…So you're dropping out of the tournament? But… Oh! I saw your fight earlier this morning! You did really well! My stomachs doing somersaults just thinking about getting in the pit myself…" 

How could she turn Jin away like that? Julia couldn't express how much she hated herself for doing such a cold-hearted thing…

"You'll do fine. With so many idiots thinking they have what it takes to win swarming the place, chances are you'll get a bunch of pansies for opponents!"

At the time… _something_ had driven her to shy away from Jin. But now, only a month later, she couldn't say why she'd done as such.

"Somehow… that doesn't cheer me up."

She was a terrible person. With each passing day, she believed more and more that she was only taking steps backward. Retreating into a despicable shadow of the person her mother had declared to be so proud of. What could Julia do now? Did she deserve Jin's forgiveness? Did she even want to be forgiven?

"Juliaaa!"

"Julia-chan!"

"She's seems trippy—ah, that's what you Americans say, right? (smack) Ow!"

Julia blinked when someone came up and shook her by the shoulders. She next saw Xiaoyu pouting in front of her face. "Are you okay?" the Chinese girl asked concernedly.

Unnerved that she'd fallen so deep into her thoughts this world disappeared, she moved away from Xiaoyu and turned to face the window, hollow eyes staring onto a horizon that mocked her with its brightness and false promise of paradise.

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking."

Xiaoyu glanced back at Rila and Steve, each exchanging looks of worry and doubt. And Rila already _knew_ something about Julia had changed in one month. Without question, it had to do with that reclusive Kazama.

Somehow Xiaoyu convinced the others to go down to the beach with her when the sun was beginning to set. She giggled and hooted every time she knocked Steve face first into the sand with tricky spikes and serves—they were playing volleyball.

Rila laughed and teased Steve as she passed them with a couple of cold sodas in her hands. "Big bad boxer got no game against the cartwheel girl?"

"Heehee, he's hopeless!" Xiaoyu chirped in agreement. "And when I win this next set, YOU have to get that trampoline I was talking about!"

Steve was blushing beat red and was apparently too flustered to retort to either of his girly tormentors.

Julia just smiled faintly, quietly talking to Panda as she scratched the bear behind her ears. Rila joined them, handing over one of the sodas to Julia before popping hers open. "Ah, and I got this for you, big teddy bear," Rila said, fishing out a box of Nerds and opening it for Panda.

Once set before her, Panda gratefully licked out some of the little candies in moderation.

"Sooo, Julia. I'm intrigued by your wonderfully cheery and peppy mood of late," the younger girl stated with a sarcastic look.

"I think you mean to be speaking to Xiaoyu," Julia responded, still smiling weakly.

"Oh, come on! What, have you joined a cult or something? Stop smiling like that! You're freaking me out!"

Julia just rolled her eyes, and decided then to open her soda.

Rila sighed in annoyance. "Are you holding a candle for that Kazama guy? Bearing his cross? Or are you just pissed at… me?"

"Well, you did ditch me without a single word," Julia stated lightly before relieving her dry throat with some fizzling Sierra Mist.

"I didn't mean to! I just… Heeey. You're just playing, aren't you? How cruel…" Rila gave her a mock-hurt look. She then crossed her legs and leaned back on an arm, the soda resting at her hip in her free hand. Shrewd coppery eyes watched her, working out a puzzle. "But I know what you're doing, and if you think I'm that easily distracted when things are _serious_, you'd better think twice. It's not good to keep things bottled up inside," she half growled out at last, now leering.

Julia sat up a little more, clenching the bottle in her hands until the whites of her knuckles showed. If her gaze was any more glaring, it'd have set the sand aflame. "Why… do we have to talk about this? There are much more important matters to discuss if you haven't noticed. Who gives a damn about my love life," she tried to say without a trace of care in her voice. But the grit of anger could hardly be ignored, by either of them.

"See? You _see _what's happening to you? I tell you, absolutely nothing good comes from keeping _any_ of your emotions all pent up like that! Wait. Here, how about a demonstration…"

Before Julia could give the other girl an odd expression for her words, her eyes widened in alarm when she saw the soda pop being shaken like a maraca. And she was far too late to avoid the spew of soda all over her face.

Rila did little to hide her amusement, snickering behind a wicked crescent of white teeth. "Teehee… Ahem. Not too pleasant, is it? Imagine my concern over you becoming Dr. Fizz exploding in my faaa—AHH!"

Xiaoyu and Steve suddenly stopped playing just when the Brit was serving—consequently launching the ball far out into the ocean. Panda was letting out little sounds of aggravation as she hurriedly backed away from the sandy scrap occurring between two hotheaded Arizonans.

Steve was the first to run over just as Julia pinned Rila to the ground and was apparently trying to rattle the other girl's head off. He quickly went to prying them apart, inevitably getting grazed in the crossfire what with these two ladies being established fighters. It cost three close calls to his groin and a little bruising to his face until he could finally pull Rila away while Xiaoyu and Panda blocked one snarly Julia.

"She—She tackled me!" Rila said breathlessly, clearly shocked by the usually rational and composed Julia Chang's behavior.

But who wasn't?

Steve repressed a shudder as he fastened a firm hold over Rila while she calmed down. "What the bloody 'ell was that about?" he finally uttered.

"She's nuts!" Rila choked out, although that strange mix of bewilderment and devious interest on her face hardly attested to innocence.

"There's nothing else to say," Julia huffed.

"You haven't _said _anything! Stop pretending there's nothing wrong cuz it shows clear as freakin' day. Just because he's out of sight, doesn't mean he's not around, that he can't feel the rhythm of your heartbeat or share your dreams just like you want him to. You know what you need to do so do it already, you nerd!"

Julia scowled and narrowed her eyes momentarily for the tacked on insult. Then her expression softened and her temper cooled as she took in the full extent of the point Rila was trying to get across to her.

A small laugh tickled her throat. She placed a hand over her head, suddenly feeling so stupid. Xiaoyu and Panda backed off just a little, looking ready and raring to intervene if the need arose.

"You're right."

"And another th—Huh? I'm…? Yeah! Damn right I am, for sure!"

Julia smiled, for real this time. She couldn't just wallow in the mire, not when Jin was out there battling his demons alone. No… he had a _real_ devil to fight. All the more reason Julia had to find him. Jin was not evil. Jin would not succumb to it.

Not if Julia had anything to do with it. She just needed to be positive, confident, strong. After all, surely Jin was still fighting the devil... Yes, she believed that.

"So… let's make a pact," she said, turning to face the others. They looked at her in question. "We won't allow the Mishima's ways of evil persist. We'll find a way to put a stop to it no matter what. How's that sound?"

"Eh, smart… for a change," Rila added dryly.

"Yeah! Let's vanquish the evil!" Xiaoyu paused to remember. "And save Jin too!"

Julia held out her hand face down. Rila followed suit first, then a newly happy Xiaoyu, and then… They all looked at Steve.

"Wha? Oh, come on, luv," he said, looking at Rila helplessly, "I'd rather stick nearby the let-out if you know what I mean. This has nothing to do with me! And I have enough on my plate as it…" Rila was giving him one hell of a look. He sighed and unenthusiastically placed his hand on the pile. "Alright, alright, don't throw a wobbly."

Xiaoyu giggled for his "British words". And then Panda announced her want for inclusion, placing a heavy paw on top of Steve's suddenly jittery hand. The ladies just laughed.

"Barmy girls…" Steve muttered.

"Gah! If that was an insult..." Rila said warningly, raising a fist before his face.

Steve balked. "No! Blimey! You're way too ready to wrestle me down, luv. No! OW!"

Julia chuckled. Rila making a pretzel out of a guy almost twice her size and the peppy Chinese girl and her panda cheering her on was an interesting sight.

Smiling softly, she looked toward the setting sun as the wind combed through her hair. _Please... wait for me, Jin. I need to express to you what truly exists in my heart. _

_I need to see you smile..._

* * *

_Next time: Jin soars through the clouds, longing for cleansing. Maybe he's going at things the wrong way, but what other choice does he have? And Julia is ready to rise again, but can she reach Jin before it's too late?_


	10. Baby Steps

The Soul Within  
Chapter 10 – Baby Steps  
Written by: Amber M.

_Author's Note: __Thank you for reviewing. Feedback I like. It's yummy._

_Eh… er, yeah… Anyway… here's another chapter. _

* * *

His mother was not alive. In the back of his mind, he'd known all along it was a false hope he chose to believe in. Regardless, as he sailed through the sky, his black wings skimming the clouds every now and then, it was hard to say if he'd ever been this downhearted before. But of course, that too was just a thought floating on the surface, shrouding another painful truth that wounded the depths of his soul. His eyes closed, his thick brows knitting together as the pain seared. 

When his feet set upon land after what seemed like a century of drifting on the air, he found he stood on the craggy old bridge in the modest reaches of Hinohara.

This was where he'd first met her.

Though lately he wished he hadn't met her at all. So that he could at least be spared this pain her rejection had left on him. It hurt more to know that she had made the right choice, the choice he would have had to force her into sooner or later by leaving or revealing to her the other side of him.

The exhaustion of his recent quest had finally caught up to him. He fell to his knees, fell to the stone…

And then fell into a dream…

_There was laughter from a voice that warmed his heart unlike the sun kissing their bodies. He tried not to smile while Julia played with the young wolf dog in the glistening pond, but found himself giving into temptation when the young hound managed to steal the stick Julia had been playfully keeping from him and proceeded to prance around. Crystal drops of the water were kicked up, sparkling in the sunrays peering through the vibrant green canopy above. _

_Jin wondered where his place was in this moving scene. Then Julia leapt over, splashing water on him as she landed in front of him. She smiled brightly and took his hands in hers. The casual pants he wore were instantly soaked as he tripped into the water, his eyes narrowing at the young woman giggling above him. He smiled mischievously before hugging her around the waist and pulling her down with him. _

_"Jin!" she exclaimed, giving him a light bat to the shoulder as she sat up, the water up to their torsos. _

_The wolf dog popped his head in between them, his tongue hanging out as he panted, and his big grey eyes bright with mirth. His voice came to Jin: "Do you feel like you belong yet?" _

_Jin paused in his laughter to look at Julia, casually smoothing the wet stray hairs out of her face. The sun bathed her creamy tan skin in an ethereal glow like she was an angel. In the next moment she was looking at him with a raised brow, dressed in soaked jeans and a white under top, appearing to be a friend he'd known the longest time. _

_"What's on your mind?" she asked, her voice echoing softly until it was all he could hear. _

"You've taken my heart…" he mumbled.

Slowly he opened his eyes, the beginnings of the day staring at him through the small trees on the village's border and the stone guardrail of the bridge. He picked himself up and rolled his shoulders, noticing immediately there wasn't the extra weight of wings protruding from his back.

After inhaling a deep breath of the fresh air, he looked to the side and was surprised by the equally surprised faces staring back at him. Two villagers stood there, baskets held under their arms for vegetable picking.

Jin just blinked before quietly heading past them. _You'd think they've never seen a man sleeping on a bridge before_, he thought, smiling secretly. As a lingering afterthought, he quietly said aloud, "Dreams… They never last long enough."

* * *

It was time to start facing up to the things she put off, the things she _dreaded_. This resolution that'd come so late had brought her to the apartment door of Ling Xiaoyu. Her throat felt utterly constricted as she raised a hand up to the tiger-headed door knocker, her ears picking up the chatter of the Chinese girl apparently distressed over losing her cell phone. Julia repressed a groan before knocking on the door three times. 

"Huh? Was that you, Panda? Door? Oh! The door! Um, eh, coming!" Xiaoyu called.

Julia patiently waited, going over the things she needed to clear up before…

"Hiya!" Xiaoyu greeted, the door swung open to reveal a very messy room. "Come in! Heh, don't mind the mess… I was just looking for my cell but…" she explained a little vaguely as she turned around and started sifting through the clothes and other belongings.

Julia scooted onto a seat next to the door, Panda sitting on the other side trying to have a nap. "Uh… Xiaoyu?"

"I only had it yesterday! Where could it have gone?" Xiaoyu muttered in frustration, crawling under the bed until only her pink-socked feet were visible.

"I was just… sort of wondering. Did you get a chance to… hang out with Jin during the last tournament?"

Xiaoyu popped out on the other side, grinning. "Yeah, I did! I demanded he go to the festival they were having that day. It was when your phone got disconnected or something—and I couldn't reach you to invite you along. Anyway, we caught up some." She disappeared under the bed again.

Julia puzzled. That festival was the day after she'd last seen Jin.

"It was just like old times! You should have seen him do that 'knock down the bottles thing'. He's so strong he totally shattered the bottles every time! I got two stuffed lemurs that hang around your neck and a HUGE teddy bear dressed like a ballerina! It's so cute!" Xiaoyu came out on the other side of the bed to examine a yellow t-shirt with a Japanese character for "smile" on it. "Hmm. I was wondering where this got to… Oh no! And I accused Miharu for not bringing it back to me after she borrowed it! I'm going to have to make a trip to the mall _pronto _and get her something to make up for it." She paused then slowly said, "As soon as I find that cell phone…"

_Maybe my way of doing things IS going to take too long… I should… I should just get to the point…_ Hesitantly, Julia made to speak while Xiaoyu dug through a trunk at the end of her bed. "Did Jin say anything when the night ended? About where he'd be going or how to contact him—anything?"

Xiaoyu looked up at Julia curiously. "Did you want to talk to him? Wait a… You two have met!? Ohmygosh, why didn't you tell me! When did you meet him?"

"Uh… well, I saw him during the third tournament, but nothing really happened…" she replied nervously, deciding that that wasn't really a lie. "Then during the last tournament we spoke some… We mostly just talked about our fights."

"Oh, really? Somehow I think you two would really get along! Maybe next time _all three of us_ could go to the amusement park. I think they've gotten some new rides since I was last there," she said then continued her hunt. Julia was about to ask her question again, when Xiaoyu went on speaking with her head buried in the trunk. "He didn't actually give me his contact address, phone number or anything. Said he wasn't staying in one place or something. And he _doesn't have a cell phone_. Can you believe that? When the night ended… We were just standing at the pier. I was picking at the last of my cotton candy and… Well, I… I tried to tell him…" Xiaoyu paused again, but this time her voice had faded off in a sad tone. She'd stopped rummaging through the trunk, sitting up straight as her big round eyes became blank.

Then her black pigtails whipped about as she frantically shook her head, a nervous grin plastered to her face. "In the end he made the same old mysterious Jin exit, disappearing without a trace like some kinda dream. But I know I'll see him again," she stated optimistically, stood up from the floor and put her hands on her hips. "Let me see… Checked there, and there, and…"

"How do you feel about him, Xiaoyu? I mean, your deepest honest feelings for him…"

Xiaoyu gasped, whirling on Julia with the most comically appalled face she'd ever seen. "JULIA! That's a little _personal_, don't you think?" She giggled, blushing as she collapsed back on her bed. "Weeeell. I guess I could confide in you… But! You have to PROMISE not to tell anyone!" she stated dramatically. Julia nodded, giving her a mock serious look. "Okay… Yeeeah, he means a lot to me. I don't know, since we went to Mishima High together and became friends… It's like my heart's a balloon and it just gets bigger and bigger and goes up higher and higher every time I see him! I… I want to marry him some day!" she declared, sitting up quickly.

Julia gulped, feeling like she just got hit in the stomach. "But…"

"Hm? What 'but'?"

"H-how does… How does he feel about you?" she asked.

Xiaoyu looked a little suspicious. "I'm… not sure. But I _know_ he has feelings for me! He's always been so kind, and he's tried to protect me. And-and there's just no way the world would put us together if nothing was supposed to happen! Besides… Besides, we've kissed!" she blurted.

That was another jab to Julia's stomach. She tried hard to swallow, her eyes probably as wide as Xiaoyu's. Something about the look on the Chinese girl's face…

It dawned on Julia; Xiaoyu realized Julia had become a third wheel to her dreams. She felt like the deer in the headlights. What could she say now? What could she possibly do to keep this from turning into a disaster?

Xiaoyu's mouth turned into a little pout as she looked away, eyes downcast unhappily. She whispered something in Chinese. Panda had responded by raising her head up, a look of concern in her dark Panda eyes.

The silence was deafening.

* * *

Julia had taken her cue to leave. 

And now she took her time getting to the Pit, knowing she'd be a little early by the time she got there from the hotel Xiaoyu was staying at. Truth be told, she hadn't taken Xiaoyu's feelings for Jin seriously until she'd finally faced her about it. The look in the Chinese girl's eyes explained more than words could have. Maybe Julia _had _misread Jin… Maybe she'd fallen victim to her own desires. Xiaoyu… Xiaoyu knew Jin longer than she did.

Not to mention… they'd apparently kissed. Even if Xiaoyu had keyed into Julia and Jin's—for lack of another word—"relationship", she wouldn't have said such a thing just to discourage Julia from interfering with _their _relationship.

She was getting a headache just trying to sort through this thing.

Since the last she needed was the distraction of her love life when she had her homeland's future to fight for, she focused on a game plan for the upcoming preliminary match as well as the bigger plan for infiltrating Mishima Zaibatsu. These thoughts kept her occupied until she was standing at the top of the stairs descending to the Pit.

People had already begun to assemble, milling about in the shade of the metal awning held above the main ring.

Julia took a breath of air, somehow more determined then ever to get through this tournament.

_I can do this. It's my duty to my homeland, and I must make my mother proud as well._

"Give me strength," she whispered before hurrying down the stairs three at a time.

When she got to the bottom, she confirmed her participation in the prelims, and then went over to the nearest lineup of vending machines. She hadn't eaten since breakfast…

Her eyes lit up as she found her favorite energy bar, then she quickly withdrew the right amount of yen from her jean pockets to purchase it. The machine was processing her selection when she noticed a girl at a neighboring vending machine ranting under her breath rather quickly in Japanese. Julia realized whatever the girl wanted from the soda machine had gotten stuck in the chute. She got her own energy bar and then went over to help.

"Uh… here," she said.

The girl looked at her with big dark eyes, blinking a few times before taking a step back for Julia.

A thump here, a whack there to the machine, and the soda came tumbling out. The Japanese girl looked slightly surprised as she picked up her soda.

"Arigatou" was the only word Julia understood before the girl said something else, giving the soda machine an angry look.

Julia smiled nervously. "…Nihongo ga… wakarimasen?" she said unsurely, pointing to her mouth.

The girl looked startled. "Oh! Gomenasai! De… (cough) I am not very used to… conversing in English," she explained, snapping open the soda to take a long gulp. Her thirst quenched as she let out a satisfied "ahh", the girl then looked across the room, noticing the crowd growing by the minute. She looked at Julia. "Are you here for the fights?"

Julia nodded, munching on her energy bar as she found a familiar face loitering in the shadows, his scarred face chiseled into a scowl. _Kazuya Mishima… I still have chills from the last time I came face to face with that guy… not that I even knew who he was at the time… _But now she did. Kazuya, son of Heihachi, and supposedly just as horrible as that old man if not worse in some aspects. Thinking of their last encounter, she hoped Rila would keep a low profile when she arrived…

She let out a small sigh… _Fat chance. Not only does she have a hot temper, but she's got a celebrity of a boyfriend on her arm. How in the world will she stay out of trouble! _

"Duh, I totally forgot!"

Julia was snapped from her musings by the girl still standing next to her. She gave the girl a curious look. And it was then she got this distinct feeling that she'd seen this girl somewhere before…

"My name is Asuka. I'm supposed to have my turn in that metal death trap they call a ring over there," she said, pointing out said "metal death trap".

_Asuka, huh? No… I don't think I've met her before… _Julia smiled, and introduced herself, "I'm Julia. And… I have to admit, the competition seems much more 'fierce' this time around."

"Have you been to one of these before? The tournament I mean?"

"Two."

"Wow…" Asuka said, wide-eyed. "By the looks of you, I'd guess you don't show up just for the sport of it? I've heard all sorts of rumors about the fighters—all coming for some purpose."

"Yeah. I'm looking for something."

"I'm looking for some_one_. But I didn't expect so many people would show up…" she said, raising her brow as she skimmed the crowd again. "By the way… where'd you learn that trick to make these stupid machines obey?"

Julia smiled, shaking her head. "A friend of mine. She's the… _crafty _type—knows how to work machines, and how to puzzle any authority figure."

They both laughed.

A voice then rose above the din of the area. It was one of two referees standing on a platform raised near the ring. He was shouting through a megaphone. _"The first brawl will begin momentarily. If your name is called, be in the Ring promptly or else you are disqualified. The participants are as follows: Ming Ye…" _

Julia and Asuka gave each other side long glances, apparently thinking the same thing.

"Unlike the boys…"

"…we women play fair," Julia finished.

They both nodded, shaking hands in a mutual agreement. Should they end up facing each other, it would be a battle the winner could be proud to win.

_"…Julia Chang, and… Arsenio Guzman. That's it. Proceed to the ring." _

Julia and Asuka looked at each other and laughed again.

"Not this time?" Asuka said.

"Maybe somewhere down the line."

"You better not lose then!"

"I won't," Julia replied confidently and then headed through the thick crowd.

Within a minute, she was standing in the ring, faced with six other fighters. All men. All rough looking in their respective ways. The two referees were going through the fight propaganda, asserting rules, and other general information. Julia wished they'd hurry up and start the fight already. Three of the guys were giving her uncomfortable looks, not to mention the sexist catcalls grating on her ears. She heard some retorts from female voices that had the bite of pythons, and smiled when she realized one was Rila and another the Japanese girl she'd just met.

_"With all of that said… Only _one_ of these fighters will move up in the preliminaries to stage two. The last fighter left standing will be the winner! Now… FIGHT!" _

It was like she was in a hurricane. Fists and feet whipped this way and that. Blood splattered onto the steel grating and out into the crowd through the gates. Julia hadn't the most experience fighting a group, and was a little overwhelmed at first. She wasn't even sure if she was on the floor, stuck to the wall or on her head when the referees' voices cut through the roaring throng, one demanding the volume to decrease and the other:

_"We have our winner! Julia Chang shall proceed to Stage 2 of the preliminaries! Give the lady a round of applause!" _

She dragged her feet to the exit, huffing and puffing. Gladly she didn't suffer too much of a beating. She stepped out, greeted by her support group and a small unit of escort detail supplied by the tournament.

"We will walk you to the nearby medical center," one of the men in Tekken Force outfitting told her.

"You were awesome, Julia!" Rila hooted, as they made their way through the rowdy gathering.

"Had to admit. I was a little nervous when I saw that _Guzman _guy. He was huge! But you totally cleaned 'em out!" Asuka put in.

Rila blinked. "Who are you?"

The petite medical center was waiting just a mile outside of the Pit's reach. Julia had gone through a standard examination, listening as Rila and Asuka chattered on about a manga called Fruits Basket. The doctor finished with her shortly, telling her that she was basically healthy, minus some cuts and bruises. He advised her to take it easy for a day at least.

"…But Tohru belongs with KYOU!"

"I KNOW! But Miki just goes on and on how Yuki needs her more to give him strength, blah, blah, blah! It's official, MIKI! Give it up already!" Asuka shouted to the sky.

"Could they possibly get this riled up over cartoon characters?" Steve muttered in Julia's ear.

Julia barely got to form a response before Rila and Asuka shouted:

"IT'S MANGA, BAKA!"

Steve probably wished he'd just kept his mouth shut, because the two Fruits Basket fangirls proceeded to beat him over the head with a long-winded argument about the sentimental values certain mangas provided and how only a heartless, stupid, muscle-headed _guy _would never be able to understand. They arrived on Julia's floor first, seeing as Rila was staying with Steve in his penthouse.

"Are you… staying in this hotel too?" Steve asked of Asuka, a glint of fear in his eyes.

"Iie! Whoops, uh… I mean, no. Sorry! I didn't even realize we'd gotten here."

"Lecturing British blondes can have that effect," Rila commented, ignoring Steve's glare. "But, anyway, you said you didn't read the recent copy of Furuba, right? For some reason, the whole series is up in Steve's penthouse! They're in Japanese though…"

"Say no more! I can translate!" Asuka said cheerfully.

"Awesome! Let's go, Steve!"

"Yeah, Steve!"

"B-b-but—!"

"Later, Julia!" both the girls said in unison before dragging the poor Brit off toward the elevator.

Julia gave a weak wave of her hand, rather speechless over the effects certain books could induce into people. She turned toward her door and yawned once they'd disappeared before unlocking it and going in. The sight of a bed had never looked better. She'd kicked the door closed, dropped her keys onto a nearby table, and taken only a few steps in when the little hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

"I think you forgot something."

That deep, toneless voice paralyzed Julia. She stood there, so sure she would be dead within seconds, her heart racing until it slowed and then finally stopped. Somehow it wasn't instant, and she was granted the chance to face the peril. She first only turned her head, her eyes wide as she saw what loomed in her wake. Slowly she turned all the way, fearful of when the line of staring would be crossed. Then she realized this man who was the rough sketch of Jin was holding something out to her.

Hesitantly she peered down at the scarred hand presenting an ornate pendant to her. Her brow creased questioningly.

"That… That isn't mine," she said, returning her gaze to his shady one.

"Are you certain? Oh. But I see…" he paused, drawing his arms to him to cross over his broad chest. "You remind me of another woman I once faced long ago. But you couldn't possibly be her."

How had he gotten in here before her? All the while she'd been at the Pit, she'd tried to keep an eye out for this scary man, and she hadn't sensed anyone following them as they left… But here he was, blocking the doorway, her only escape.

Julia tensed, her fingers curling into fists. She glimpsed the gold chain dangling over his arm, and then she recalled where she'd seen that pendant before. Her jaw fell agape as she waited for the right words, narrowing her eyes on Kazuya. "But… You're talking about my mo… Michelle. Why do you have Michelle's pendant?"

"Did she get this one to replace the much more valuable one? Did she feel regretful of losing the old one?"

Anger started to boil up. "She didn't _lose _it. She got rid of it because it brought nothing but trouble. It was better removed from humanity's reach."

A mirthless chuckle resounded from his throat. "Is that what she said? Perhaps she found herself helpless to its enticement towards the shadows, or perhaps she was too foolish to see into its true value. Either way, she will have gotten what she deserved."

"Wha? What are you talking about?" she demanded, daring to take a step toward him.

He cocked his head to one side, looking sickeningly amused. "What part are you inquiring abou—"

"Where's Michelle!"

His one red eye seemed to glow momentarily. "I don't truly hold anything personal against you, but your face, your bearing… just reminds me too much of that _bold _mother of yours. And she I cannot say I am very fond of."

"Lucky for you that I hate you Mishimas indiscriminately. I guess I shouldn't be surprised one of you foul beasts would intrude upon another's space just to get a leg up in battle."

He smirked, another low laugh rumbling in suppression. Casually he shifted against the door for comfort and let the silence drag on, his gaze trying to stab through her. When Julia made no sign of backing down like the wise would have done at the drop of a hat, he coldly stated as if no time had passed, "If I were you I would not go out of my way to stress the resemblance that draws in resentment."

"Tell me where she is," Julia stated firmly, though her body was beginning to shake beneath that cruel gaze.

"Hmph. I'm beginning to believe the apple rarely falls very far from the tree. How unfortunate for you," he stated lowly, his words suddenly rough.

The room went alight as his fist thrust toward her.

* * *

_Next time: His heart was racing, her heart was fading, and yet somehow they're face to face again in one of the unlikeliest of situations. _


	11. Side Effects

The Soul Within  
Chapter 11 – Side Effects

* * *

_Julia._

What happened? It was like she was sinking, slowly in a sea that didn't have a bottom

_Julia! Open your eyes!_

Her heart was suddenly racing, as her arms and legs moved frantically to get her to the top. Just when she was to break the surface…

"Wait!" she gasped. Her eyes had popped open and what she saw was nothing of that bleak, vast and empty ocean. Instead she saw vibrant shades of green permeated by a noon sun, and the serenity of a healthy forest.

She started coughing uncontrollably.

Then there was the scent of familiar cologne, the feel of warmth gently embracing her as her lungs were freed from water. When her coughing had ceased, she stayed leaned over the ground huffing for air, her mind swept into a flurry. She hoped with all her being that the arm secured around her waist belonged to him. Hesitantly she turned her head, wet strands of hair falling into her face, and saw who was knelt on the ground next to her.

"Jin," she croaked.

He took a small breath of relief. "You scared me," he murmured, reaching a hand up to brush aside the hair from her face, his other arm still keeping her close.

She smiled sheepishly. It dawned on her then that she had no idea how she'd gotten here or why she was soaked to the bone. Her brows knitted together as she drew slightly away from Jin to be able to face him. "I… don't understand. What… What happened to me?"

Jin's eyes downcast to the ground. "I'm not sure. I was out here" —he waved a hand at the surrounding forestry— "when I heard a _splash_. I ran toward it and saw a body sinking into the lake… A feather had been floating on the surface, one from your headband." He reached into the grey sweater he was wearing and withdrew the said feather.

Julia looked at it, shaking her head, puzzling.

Gently Jin tipped her chin up to look her in the eyes. "What's the last thing you remember?"

She thought about it. _There was that match at the Pit… Then I went back to my apartment with Rila, Steve and Asuka. And after they'd left… _

"I was… in my apartment. And…" Her eyes widened as the memory came crashing in. "Kazuya!"

Darkness filled Jin's eyes, a deep hatred and disdain instantly roused up. "Mishima Kazuya?" he said slowly, his voice slightly roughened.

His reaction made Julia shiver, a very different shiver then the one induced by her near-drowning experience. She gulped the lump in her throat. While she could think of more than one reason what that Kazuya wanted from her, she shuddered to think of what could possibly be running through Jin's mind.

"Jin… before you jump to the absolute _worst _conclusions… I should tell you that, well, back during the second tournament my mother may have crossed paths with Kazuya. And they didn't exactly hit it off," she told him. "Maybe because of my relation to her, he… he would want to pursue that old hatred with me."

Jin closed his eyes, shaking his head. Julia wished he hadn't found her like this, even though if he hadn't been there, chances are she'd be dead. Why did it have to be this way? It seemed like the universe was determined to keep Jin set on one linear path. Any deviation was a sin. Any sign of happiness was snuffed out. What did he ever do to deserve such a thing? And with this, he was going to have further reason to leave Julia for a place which may only nurture that demon inside of him.

But what could she do to make him stay with her?

All of a sudden her nose was tingling. And she jerked her head to the side to sneeze. Several times. She sniffled after she was done, feeling fuzzy in the head and sluggish in the rest of her. Oh, for sure, she definitely wasn't feeling so well.

"I think I've caught a cold," she grumbled, already sounding a bit nasally.

* * *

That intense demeanor surrounding Jin had melted away with an immediate "situation" at hand. He led her to a quaint house set in the middle of a natural garden. Julia wished she didn't feel so ill because now she wasn't sure she could appreciate how lovely the place was, nor take in the serenity it encouraged upon one's self. 

"Is this place… yours?" Julia asked.

Jin was hovering around her like an anxious man fussing over the tiniest loose thread. _Or _an overprotective boyfriend… Beneath the heat of the fever she was surely blushing.

"Gochuui!" he abruptly said as Julia stumbled on the rock path.

She was a bit taken back by the open concern on his face, but before she could reassure him she was fine she was scooped up into his powerful arms and carried the rest of the way into the house. Just barely she was able to take in the humble and surprisingly well-kempt condition of the house's interior before she was hurried into a specific room. Jin finally set her down on a simple king-sized mattress.

She could only blink, feeling somehow disoriented. Probably just the cold. Her eyes barely left Jin for a second and he'd already rushed back out into the hall.

"Huh. I wonder if he's coming back," she dryly mused aloud. Deciding not to fight this whirlwind of hospitality, she fluffed the pillow behind her head and eased back. The impending headache attested to a long night ahead of her.

She closed her eyes, and listened to the songs of birds drift in through an open window. No sooner than that she was fast asleep, dreaming of skipping across clouds and riding on the back of a giant eagle. Then she was lying atop a soft and warm white wing, gazing into the beautiful brown eyes of an angel. He smiled and began to say something…

_"Julia, I—" _

"—brought you soup."

"Wha?" Julia opened her eyes, confusion on her face as she found glossy wood paneled surfaces and a scarcely furnished room. Then she saw Jin setting up an eating tray over her covered lap. Was she under the blankets when she first closed her eyes? She noticed too that the room was dimmer, because the sun had lowered from the sky.

"How long was I asleep?" she asked as she took a tissue from the box of Kleenex Jin had thoughtfully added to the tray. She blew her nose in as dignified a manner as she could manage, set it down and then began slurping down her soap. Well, she hadn't eaten the entire day!

Jin withheld a chuckle and answered, "A couple hours. The sun's just beginning to set."

"Mmm. Thish ish good," she tried to say.

This time Jin let out a little laugh. "My mother would make that for me when I wasn't feeling well. It'll make you better in no time."

Julia managed to pause, taking a big gulp before looking at Jin interestedly. "Your mother… Jun Kazama, right?"

He nodded. "You remind me of her in some ways… Minus that appetite," he added wryly.

"Heh, s-sorry. I'm just so hungry…" she explained with a nervous smile.

"No, it's okay. I eat way more than what you could possibly get down."

They both laughed softly. When it died down, Julia stared pensively at the soup, working through a question. "So… were you and your mother close?"

"I was her world. She raised me from birth by herself and taught me the lessons in life I'll always value in my heart. Since her disappearance at the hand of that monstrosity, Ogre, I… I've done all I could to honor her memory. Her precepts I've lived by…" He let out a mirthless laugh, shaking his head. "…even in the face of Kazuya and Heihachi. I held their lives and I could've crushed them but… my mother didn't want that. Somehow she was there… I guess it was her memory. But I knew she didn't want me to kill Kazuya. Why though? Why would she…?"

Despondency rang clear in his dark eyes as his expression became taut with need of an answer. Julia wanted nothing more than to take him in her arms and hold him tight.

Which she did.

Jin's body only stiffened for a moment in surprise. Then he eased down, unsurely placing his hands to her back and his face to the crook of her neck.

"Maybe… Jun doesn't believe in evil. Only the purest soul could hold such a belief. She must be very brave, and proud of you, Jin. Her beloved son."

Jin squeezed his eyes shut, holding Julia tighter, for her words overwhelmed him. It was that morning he'd been questioning his worth, what his purpose was, if his path would ever see the light permanently. So far his mother had been his only light…

Now there was Julia.

* * *

The next morning, Jin had calmed down and settled into his usual air of suave composure. Honestly Julia was a little fascinated by it, watching from her mat in the main room as Jin made her tea, brought her blankets and pillows, found her a book to read, and now sat just outside the door meditating beneath the shadow of a tall tree as the sun peered through. She secretly smiled behind the book, The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon, before returning to its interesting read—she was already halfway through. 

Meer moments later a noise most unexpected broke the quietude she'd gotten used to.

It sounded like a "Dir en Grey" ringtone…

Julia blinked as Jin hurriedly walked across the room to search the pockets of his sports jacket that was sitting at the bottom of an open cupboard in the wall. He found the obvious item making the noise and moved into another room.

She blinked, watching him through the partially open door as he examined the small glowing screen of his red Razr.

_Hmm. So he _does _have a cell phone… _Julia thought, not really aware that she was on the verge of eavesdropping.

He answered the call: "Niyaniya Urufu. Doko ni iru no." He moved a little further away, deeper into the house and out of ear shot.

Julia couldn't help herself. She got up and quietly shrugged up to one side of the door, tensing up as Jin's footsteps sounded on just the other side of the wall.

"Ii n ja nai. (pause) Maa… Chotto ii…?"

Julia flinched and backed away as Jin neared the door.

When he peered in she was wrapped in her blanket, sipping at her cup of tea. She pretended not to notice him though she was straining her ears to keep up with the tone of his voice. While her understanding of the Japanese language was lacking, she could still make out the occasional word, and his tone could clue her in even more than words could.

His voice went almost below audibility as he murmured very quickly. Julia could just see him scratch at his ear as though nervous. He fell into a more relaxed posture during another pause. Faintly Julia could detect the voice of the other person. Sounded female.

"Kamaimasen… Saa. Dono kurai okureru no. (pause) Wakatta. Mata ne."

Jin stopped talking along with the sound of a button, signifying he was done.

He came back into the main room, gazing down at Julia. "Do you need anything?" he asked, specifically eyeing the teacup that was nearly drained.

Carefully she set it down on the lowered table, shaking her head "no". Since her nose was annoyingly starting to run she had to press a tissue to it, and that door of opportunity regarding a means of connection was starting to close as Jin headed outside.

"Um… How long have you had a cell phone?" she asked, cocking a brow up slyly. If Rila had taught her anything it was to be crafty in a mental shakedown… well, that's how the delinquent put it anyway. Julia didn't want to pry obviously, but if she could get Jin's number, there was more of a chance he wouldn't just disappear without a trace again. On the other hand… he'd probably just toss aside the cellular…

Before she could take back her question, Jin spoke up.

"The current one for about three months," he answered, rubbing the back of his neck as an uneasy smile played across his lips. Apparently he knew what direction Julia intended to go with this conversation.

Guess she might as well keep going then. "I… can't help being a little jealous then," she admitted cunningly, tossing her used tissue to the small pile accumulated on the floor. "While I forgot _my _cell back in the states, it would be nice to have your number so we could… you know, keep in touch. I mean, what else do we have but these tournaments…" That time there was genuine sadness slipping through her voice.

Jin dropped his hands back down to his sides, glancing out the open door. He let out a soft sigh through his nose. Would there really be harm in talking with her once and a while as a _friend_? _Actually, there might be a few things… For one my "other side" could answer. Not to mention the pain that comes with… _caring _for someone you can't be with. Hearing her voice, knowing she was far from my reach; that would be too much… for both of us. _

"You sure you would want to call me? I'm not much of a talker," he said, half-jokingly.

Julia looked up at him, very seriously. "Yes. Please Jin, I just… It would be nice to know how you're doing, if you're well, if you're safe, and of course, just to talk sometimes… as friends."

His heart just got squeezed, in a bad, bad way. Yes, he would have rather them be friends than… anything more than that, but…

_We'll be friends. Nothing more._

_I guess…_

Minutes later, Jin had found a piece of paper and a pen, and sat down next to Julia to right down his cell phone number for her. It would be a while before the burn of her declaration as them being "friends" would be mollified. Good thing he had a pretty well-sculpted mask of indifference on hand. Otherwise his heart would be out in the open and completely vulnerable.

After sliding the note over to her, he placed his head in his hand, giving her a suspicious sidelong glance. "You wouldn't hand out my number to anyone else, right?"

Julia leered back at him after she'd pocketed the note in her jeans. "For your information, my mother taught me to respect others' privacy." _Completing ignoring the fact that I sort of listened in on your phone conversation… not that I understood much of it anyway, _she thought guiltily as she took a rice ball from the plate Jin had brought in when he'd gone to get the pen and paper.

A corner of his lip tugged up into a little smile. "Your mother sounds like a fine woman. Kami, you _did _find her at the third tournament, right!? How is she?" he asked concernedly.

Julia blinked, the rice ball held forgotten at her lips when she was about to take a bite. She let out a breath of laughter. "Oh. Of course I did! She's been in charge of overseeing the buffalo preserve the past five years. Uh… the type of preserve where the animals are kept safe."

"Very noble. I've never actually seen a real buffalo. They look like magnificent creatures though."

"Maybe you should visit the preserve sometime," she suggested with a broad grin, "Michelle's place is nice and has a great guest room. It's a ranch situated on a plain that has a beautiful view of the sunset."

Jin bit his lip as he imagined being with Julia in the setting, holding her hand, kissing her neck.

Julia quickly returned to her rice ball. For some reason, Jin biting his lip like that was pretty tempting. Duh, the reason was obvious! But that little action was just the tip of the iceberg, what with the Japanese heartthrob sitting mere inches from her without a shirt on in the first place. That too was innocent though because he'd been training earlier. She felt like she could kick herself for acting so immature.

Finishing the rice ball gave her the time needed to recompose herself. Something else just came out of the blue. Perhaps it was due to the cold making her sluggish the past hours, but she only then realized how surprisingly well her time with Jin had been. Given that the last they'd seen each other hadn't ended on a good note…

"I want to thank you, Jin," she said, looking into his eyes. His brows raised up in question. "For taking care of me in my illness. And… it's been nice spending time with you—regardless that I've been drippy-nosed and sneezing all over the place." She grimaced at the thought. Was this going to be a pattern? Him finding her _only_ when she's the worse for wear?

Jin ironically combed a hand through her hair, but it was the most casual act in the world. "I felt responsible—not just because the man with my blood did this to you but because I hold you dear." His words were utterly soft, excluding the brief roughness triggered by the reference to Kazuya.

Her pulse skipped a beat. Something imperative…

Kazuya…

Kazuya…

Before Kazuya attacked her, he'd made the implication that something had become of…

She jumped up to her feet, filled with panic. Her name had been said throughout the day, she had been in Julia's thoughts, but she'd still forgotten!?

A pair of brown eyes stricken with shock stared up at her.

Julia's head began to spin. "Michelle! Kazuya... Kazuya might have done something to her!" _Michelle… Please be alive…_

* * *

_Next time: Malignancy knows no boundaries. On the other hand, benevolence can light up the world. For which battle will the Tekken fighters suit up? _


	12. Unknown Strength

The Soul Within  
Chapter 12 – Unknown Strength

* * *

It'd taken a hell of a long time, her breath was running short, she was damn hungry, but at last she'd finally arrived at her destination. 

"Damn… (huff) This Osaka is nothing like the one in Samurai Champloo… (puff)…" Rila waited until she'd caught her breath before drawing out a small piece of paper from her jacket. She studied it momentarily. "Let's see… Namba City shopping mall… Yup, that's here… Next I gotta find… 'Kohana's Kichouhin'? Hmm."

She looked up and down the busy hall, scanning the vibrant signs of the shops. One bore kanji symbols that looked most similar to that which was written on the paper. Letting out a little sound of triumph, she moved through the crowd and into the shop.

The shop's theme was made clear by the shelves displaying antique jewelry on either side of the compact area. Which meant Rila had indeed found the place she was looking for. She couldn't help but snicker for her fox-like directional instincts as she approached the proprietor situated behind a desk in the back.

The old woman blinked at Rila, a little curious for that devious grin on the girl's face apparently. Carefully she interrupted the small snippets of laughter barely muffled by the youth's smile with a perfunctory inquiry: _"May I help you?" _in Japanese.

Rila snapped out of her self-appraisal. She hesitated before carefully saying "Mo ichido itte kudasai."

The old woman smiled, nodded, then repeated herself a little more slowly.

Rila laughed nervously. _"_Gomen_! I'm still learning the language."_

_"That's fine. Now, what has brought you here today?" _

_"I'm here to pick up a ring for a frien—" _

"Kora kisama!"

"Huh?" Rila turned her head, looking toward the noise that's shot through the silence, and she found herself staring into the angry face of a young Chinese girl. The Arizonan backed up a step, surprise clear on her face. "What the hell are you doing?"

Xiaoyu's hands balled into fists. She spat something out quickly in Mandarin, which Rila didn't have a prayer of understanding.

She cocked a brow up as the Chinese girl went on and on… and on, with no end in sight. Apparently Xiaoyu was ranting.

Rila crossed her arms and leaned back on the desk. "Pecha kucha," she murmured out of the corner of her mouth, to which Kohana responded with a smile and mock-chiding shake of her finger.

"What! I am NOT a 'chatterbox'!" Xiaoyu snapped suddenly. "Oooh, I refuse to believe it! How long have you known Jin?"

Confusion molded Rila's expression. "You must still be speaking another language because I have no idea what you're talkin' about."

"Jin… how could he be involved with so many other girls?"

"Hold it, hold it. Don't get the wrong idea—He's committed to only one lady and… You know what, never mind! It's none of your business. It's hardly any of _my _business," Rila grumbled, and turned around to get from Kohana what she'd come for in the first place.

"You're… You're not just playing with him, are you?"

Rila's teeth gnashed together as she screamed without screaming—Kohana didn't deserve such drama in her peaceful little shop.

After securing the item in her jacket pocket, she'd made a beeline for the exit. Unfortunately for the Arizonan, Xiaoyu wasn't going to be shaken off so easily. In fact the talkative Chinese girl was only making it harder for Rila to remember where she needed to go and what she needed to do. She stopped out in the middle of the walkway, frustration and irritation both clear on her face.

As Xiaoyu took on a scolding tone, saying something about how Jin had a hard enough life that he didn't need further complications like RILA to deal with, Rila threw up her arms, and growled.

Across the wide hall, Asuka Kazama made a puzzled face. While there was a constant din from the high foot traffic, she thought she was hearing a voice above all that.

"Urusai! Please, just—Asuka!" Rila suddenly called out, having spotted the Japanese girl locking up her bike in front of a sports shop.

She ran up to her, Xiaoyu following hesitantly. When they'd stopped before her, Asuka could guess at the annoyed look on Rila's face. Her fists pinned to her hips, she looked over the Chinese girl with Rila and frowned. "Is she your friend?" she asked of Rila somewhat incredulously.

Rila's brow twitched. "Not much." Then she quickly pulled Asuka aside and whispered into her ear, "Listen, this girl's been bugging me. And she seems determined to wring certain classified information outta me, so… I kinda need a favor of you. Would you please, please, _please _keep her distracted while I get the hell outta here. I've got somewhere I'm supposed to be right now and I can't have her following me!"

"Ow! Ease up on the shoulder," Asuka growled as she shook out of Rila's claws. She glanced passed Rile at the Chinese girl with an assessing look on her face. "I dunno. She looks a little flakey to me."

"Bah. Trust me, she'll be completely bearable to you!" Asuka gave her a "what's that supposed to mean" look. To which Rila smiled nervously and amended, "I mean, you like to shop, right? If shopping were a sport, Xiaoyu would be at the top of the Olympics! You like to compete, right?"

"Okay, okay! I'll do this _favor_, but realize that if _I _ever need something…"

"I owe you. Got it. Thanks a bunch! Now. Go tell her you saw some sale at… I don't know, one of those girly girly stores, and when she's not looking, I'll make my escape. Capiche?"

"That sounds so wrong. Oh well..." Asuka sighed, muttering an unenthusiastic "hai" of confirmation before dragging her feet over to the Chinese girl.

Rila slipped into the crowd the moment Xiaoyu had looked away to introduce herself.

Now all the Arizonan had to do was make do with her shortened time. She wasn't looking for any _undue _attention after all. _Yeah, Jin is hot… but who the hell'd wanna be beneath his fists! _The very thought of it made her grimace.

* * *

Jin stood at the back of the Pit, away from the crowd. He could hear the referees through the thin wall, so he wouldn't miss his name being called. Hidden beneath the hood of his favorite sports jacket, no one would see the uncharacteristic look of concern shaping his usually emotionless features. No one would see Jin in a rare light of weakness as thoughts of Julia weigh heavily upon his mind. 

He'd managed to convince Julia to rest while he came here to get his fight done with. She'd been fast asleep before he'd left, which had much thanks to the special herbal tea Jin had brewed. It was difficult for him to smother any emotion now. For all at once a new act of cruelty made by Kazuya and Julia's life threatened had come at him. The fact that these two things were connected tempted the devil's intervention.

Which he could not allow to emerge, no matter how much he wanted to thrash that despicable excuse for a human being Jin was cursed to be related to.

He would also have to make sure Julia didn't go after Kazuya… While he understood how much a mother means to a person, he would be damned to stand by idly and watch Julia endanger her life. Her mother certainly would say the same.

That was reassuring for only a moment, but he'd take anything at this point. He heaved a deep breath and rested his head back against the wall.

His moment of peace was abruptly shot as footsteps came nearer and nearer. He stifled a grumble and reluctantly looked to see who the intruder was.

The man was no one Jin knew, but he had a rather unique bearing, what with his tall figure dressed up in a full military uniform, pale skin, and a scar across one side of his face. His nearly colorless eyes seemed soulless.

Seconds passed by quickly without word. The guy just kept staring. Finally he drew out what looked like a photograph and seemed to compare it with Jin. Jin didn't appreciate the examination; he didn't like it as the heartthrob of Mishima High, and he definitely wasn't liking being sized up by some random psycho.

"You'd best leave while you have the chance," he stated, moving his peeved gaze to the ocean ahead, "I'm too in the mood for beating someone to a bruised pulp."

A dimwitted retort surprisingly didn't come. Instead a clawed hand was shooting toward his neck.

Jin managed to catch the guy's arm just in time, and applied a counter fist to his chin. Normal people would be spitting out a tooth from that attack, but this guy came right back like it was nothing. Caught in the surprise, Jin found his leg trapped in a vice grip and he was thrown to the ground. He groaned as sharp pain shot through the leg that was being bent in the wrong way. A moment came where he could slip away and get to his feet to apply two kicks, one down at the knee and the other at the waist. Both made contact. Jin quickly threw in an uppercut and sent the guy crashing into the wall. Swiftly Jin moved in and put a pair of charged fists into his chest.

The guy somehow warded off a majority of the attack, managing to catch one of Jin's arms just as he was to pull back. Jin's face was thrown into the wall. Then a wake up kick pounded into the side of his head, sending him to the ground hard. He rolled up and did a sweeping kick but his opponent jammed his leg with one chop at the ankle before dragging him into another lock.

All he needed was to have _two _wounded legs.

Anger boiling up, Jin reached as far as he could to apply a jab to his captor's face. That set him free again. Both fighters got up to their feet again and paused.

It was hard to tell what Jin was looking at now. Everything seemed a little blurred, a little unreal. His arms shook visibly as white hot currents zapped through them. He let out a grainy battle cry and rushed in.

He could hear bone crushing, feel throbbing in his fists and the sick heat of blood running down his skin. He could see the world but it was like the negative of a photograph. The smell of victory was pungent, and the taste of victory, sweet.

Gurgling cries of pain batted at the door of his consciousness, but it was a memory that flung it open…

_"…you're Jin, a man with kind eyes and a beautiful soul…" _

_Julia's smile…_

When he'd come out of it, he was breathing raggedly, bent over something… someone.

The man he'd been fighting was shuddering for air, his pale face almost indiscernible as blood splayed across it madly. Jin staggered to his feet, backing away, quivering with fear.

What had happened? He didn't know what he was doing.

The Devil Gene.

He swallowed a bitter taste and almost felt like throwing up. It seemed like that… that _monstrosity_ within him was getting more easily coaxed out as the days passed.

_"Kazama Jin! Last chance to enter the ring. You have one minute before you are disqualified," _a referee announced.

Jin wiped the sweat… and blood... off his brow before vaguely heading to where he needed to be. _You can get through this. Just avoid those types of confrontations… _He almost wanted to laugh. Considering he was basically a magnet for confrontations.

What a thin line to walk. And it was only getting thinner.

* * *

Julia awoke to the whistling of a Fairy Pitta. It took her a moment to rise from slumber and see the two little pebble-like eyes giving her a curious look up close. She opened her eyes and let out a quiet breath of laughter so as not to startle the little songbird. It whistled again and tilted its head to one side. 

"Do you want me to go somewhere?" she whispered, and carefully slid out of the blankets.

Amazingly the bird wasn't scared off. She stayed sat in front of it, rather intrigued by its fearlessness. These birds had been briefly mentioned in a book she'd read and she'd got the impression they were not unlike the songbirds back in the states; namely they were typically skittish.

Just as she thought she might even be able to hold it, the bird turned and hopped toward the open door. It stopped there and looked back at her.

_It wants to lead me somewhere? _

Maybe it was the after effects of her cold, but she got to her feet and quietly followed the bird. It took flight just outside the house, moving into one tree, then the next, then the next, stopping only until Julia caught up before moving deeper into the forest.

Eventually Julia found herself in a clearing. The bird looked down at her momentarily and then took off into the high canopy, whistling a song until Julia could no longer hear it. She put a hand over her eyes to shield it from the sun as she looked for the bird to return, wondering what _that _was all about. Hm. She might still be sick after all…

Deciding she may as well head back and rest her head a little longer, she turned for the way she'd come. But when she took one step, she got the distinct feeling she was not alone. For a moment she stood utterly still. Then she whirled around and saw the other presence.

Her eyes narrowed, she could hear her heart pounding slowly in her ears, and beneath the sunrays beating down on her bare arms, legs, and feet, she couldn't say ice was running through her veins but all the same she shuddered.

"Julia." His voice seemed like a whisper from far away.

She moved into her fighting stance, though she couldn't say why. Strangely nothing about the man before her spoke of malevolence. Quite the contrary. That smile drawn through a handsome face aged only by laugh lines around his mouth and eyes was pacifying.

Julia's fists relaxed some. "What do you want?" _Shouldn't you be asking how he knows your name… or who the hell he is!?_

"I wouldn't let you to go into battle unprepared. You're a strong girl, Julia, but far from invincible. You know what you lack most?"

Julia was silent, pulling up from her stance. _I feel like I... know him._

"Faith, Julia. You lack faith in yourself, faith in your mother, faith in the one you love, and faith in that love itself. Without faith, you are powerless."

That was beyond absurd! She couldn't even begin to tell him off. But the more she stammered for words… the more she began to wonder. _Faith… but…_

"Think of why you pray. Think of what you pray for, and who you pray for. I know it isn't you to do things meaninglessly. Once you find your answers and your faith, so too will the strength you need clear a way through the thorny path ahead." His smile broadened.

The leaves overhead moved in the soft breeze, changing the light around him until his honey brown eyes were illuminated.

Julia was breathless. "Are you…?"

"I have faith in you, sweetie. I always have. And always will…" he said even quieter as though he were fading away. He only stood a small distance from Julia, almost motionless, but she knew he was leaving.

"W-wait! What's your name?"

Something shined bright amidst the thick sunrays. Julia had only squinted a little from it, but when she was able to see clearly again, he was no longer there.

By some means his name was in her mind. "Caden."

* * *

_AN: Please, pleeeease REVIEW. Seriously, if you're disappointed in what I've been doing with this story I'd like to know what it is you're not liking! I'll truly appreciate your feedback and work to make this a satisfying read for you, okay? Otherwise I'm liable to just keep wasting 5 to 10 minutes of your life... T.T_

_Next time: His weakness is exposed. Found by the wrong person, what would become of her? What would become of him? What would become of the world?_


	13. Known Weakness

The Soul Within  
Chapter 13 – Known Weakness

* * *

"What's wrong with you?" Rila muttered, giving Julia an odd look.

"I'm just _a little_ exhausted," she responded just _a little _snappishly, tugging her blanket tighter around herself.

First there was a sneer before a thought seemed to occur to Rila. "Oh, I get it. Yeah, a cold will do that to a person, eh?"

"Yes… _Wait_. How did you know I had a cold?"

"Er… well, so you were saying something about going insane?"

Julia snorted for that not so tactful change of subject. It hardly mattered to her at the moment though as the third day since she first caught the cold rolled by lazily and she was still being haunted by that ordeal. Yes, "ordeal", because already she had this feeling deep in her gut that that day would be the last she'd see of Jin in a long, _long _time, because she still hadn't been able to contact her mother, and because the illusion that ended the ordeal was haunting her and robbing her of the sleep she desperately, _desperately _needed. Bundled all together with the normal, everyday problems she was yet coping with, it was a wonder she could string together one coherent thought. It was a wonder she was _sane_.

Rila was left uneasy by the look on Julia's face, a look of dejection and hopelessness. Sighing, she looked out the window and the ocean sparkling from the noon sun. "I know you're having a really hard time right now, Julia… but you've gotta keep going no matter what. Michelle wouldn't like you to be like this."

"Just shut up… I've got a huge headache is all. Well…" Julia trailed off, again ridden with confusion.

"Talk to me. You'll feel better," Rila encouraged with her laidback tone, returning to the table Julia was sitting at.

"When I was at that dojo… I don't know. For some reason I went outside, following this… this Fairy Pitta and—"

"What the hell? You must've been hallucinating real good, huh!" Rila laughed.

Julia growled, instantly shutting up the other girl. "A 'bird', Rila. A Fairy Pitta is a bird. Anyway, I didn't walk far really, but when I stopped and the bird disappeared I… I thought I saw…" Her eyes suddenly burned with tears. "I thought I saw… my father…"

Rila's eyes widened. "Your… But how would you know? I mean… you've never even seen him before have you?"

"I don't know how. He just… He just looked like he could be my father. We had the same eyes and… I just felt like there was a bond…" Her voice became quiet as she thought more about it and wondered. "Is he alive? Could he be…?"

"Hey," Rila said concernedly, reaching over to gently shake Julia's shoulder, "First things first, right? Steve's still got all this money so… I'm thinking maybe I should head back to Arizona myself and find out what's going on with Michelle. For all we know she just went off on some humanitarian crusade for a week."

They both smiled.

"I suppose that's possible," Julia replied weakly, nodding her head.

Unhappy with that sad, sad reply, Rila frowned and thought for a moment. The mental light bulb lit overhead. Her frown was instantly flipped back up as the idea came forth.

"Hey, hey! I know _exactly _what you need. You seriously need a pick me up now, right?" Julia raised a brow. "What better to sweep you off your feet all fairy tale style than a dream date with Jin!"

Julia's interest was definitely peaked. But she couldn't say if she felt more horrified or concerned about her friend's mental health or… or something else entirely! "What are you talking about, Rila? I told you that Jin disappeared! How could _you _possibly contact him when I've already tried? He's not answering his cell…" she explained, slumping down on the table. Then she quietly added, "I wonder now if the number he gave me was a fake…"

"Yeah, I know, so even if you _do _have a means to contact that specter, doesn't mean he's obligated to answer the call or even keep his damn cell on. However, I happen to have an idea where he might be today," Rila said, stroking her chin with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Julia was still doubtful, eyeing the other girl suspiciously. "You know where he is? What? Back at that dojo?"

"Nah. But believe me, I'm ninety-nine percent sure where he's hanging around."

"Okaaay, and… You think I should just…" Julia's eyes widened as she finally realized what it was Rila was plotting this time. "Oh, no. No way. I can't just go out and meet up with him randomly! That's just… I can't. No way."

"Yep. You will," Rila too happily disagreed.

* * *

He felt like he was being watched… Jin turned enough so he could see around the flap of his hood at what was coming up on his back. He relaxed when he merely saw a girl dressed in vibrant clothes rolling toward him on a skateboard and a Giant Panda galloping on her heels. Well… a normal person would probably run.

"Hi Jin!" she chimed, waving enthusiastically as she drew close enough.

Skidding to a stop, she popped the board up to reveal a deck embellished by chibi pandas. The wheels let off a soft glow in the night like Panda's hot pink bracelets, and as Xiaoyu turned her wrist out he saw a tiny pink heart tattoo. His brow rose.

"_You _braved a needle?"

She tilted her head, looking at him confused. Then she noticed where he looked and grinned. "Oh! That? Yeah, it really was no biggie. Um… Miharu was there so I could squeeze her hand when they did it. She was sorer than me afterward, heehee." There was a pause as she scratched the panda's head, hiding her blushing from Jin. "So, I was just skating around the plaza aaand… Well, Panda thought she smelt you!"

Jin's raven brow rose again as he looked at the smiling Panda. "I hope that doesn't mean I reek," he murmured.

It earned a laugh that was larger than Xiaoyu, startling even the Chinese girl's loyal ursine companion.

Somewhat taken aback, Jin braced himself before speaking again, "I guess you being here must mean you're participating in the tournament?"

Xiaoyu's face had flushed beat red, knowing she'd sort of just embarrassed herself by making that… that _noise_. She looked away, finding it hard to focus now. This wasn't at all how she'd pictured meeting up with Jin again. Sure maybe when she had thought about it the scenario was more fairy tale like and Jin would be wearing a samurai outfit and she would be wearing a silky white kimono and they'd be at the amusement park coasting through the tunnel of love and Jin would pop out a gorgeous wedding ring. And the vows! Oh, he'd cite such wonderful vows that—

"Uh, Xiaoyu?"

"Of course I will! Oh, I can't wait to plan the ceremo—I… I-I mean um, what… did you say again?" Xiaoyu said, lowering her head, defeated. Miharu was right. She needed to put weights on her feet to keep her from drifting off in space…

Jin looked at her, confused by her behavior. True he might not be the best at reading into others feelings but Xiaoyu didn't seem all there right now. Maybe she was tired… or coming off a sugar rush.

"It's been nice seeing you Xiaoyu, but I have to go. I have things to do," he said seriously, looking away in a certain direction.

"No!"

The word rang through him like an alarm. At this distance it kind of stung his ears. "What!?" he exclaimed, taken off guard.

"I thought… um, well, you know… that we could hang out for a while and… catch up," Xiaoyu explained uneasily, fidgeting with her fleece vest. Jin started to decline but she quickly intervened, "Please! It's been forever since we've spent time together! We used to be such good friends… I really… _really_ miss that."

He looked away again, shadows over his eyes. Why did he seem so different now? He was distant, quiet, and had this intense bearing about him… Okay, perhaps that wasn't very different from the past but those qualities seemed to have gotten even stronger. Eventually she wouldn't be able to reach him at all.

She couldn't allow that to happen. She had to seize the day!

"Let's go! The amusement park is calling us!" she proclaimed, grabbing Jin by the arm and dragging him off as Panda lopped behind them.

Ten minutes of relentless running brought them bursting through a large crowd into the gates of Tokyo Dome City. Xiaoyu was glad she managed to hold onto Jin as she ran from place to place like a madwoman. Her energy and enthusiasm seemed to be so great that it was burning a hole through the growing throngs… or was that the power of a fully grown panda? Whatever the reason, they got to a number of rides within the hour until finally Jin suggested they take a break. Xiaoyu was happy to do so, seeing as she managed to amuse Jin at least some. At least she hoped that was the case.

They each got some cotton candy, and Panda a sticky liquorish rope—one of her favorites—and then they found a table around a gorgeous fountain. Lights in the star-shaped pool cast the falling water in rainbow colors and clear sculptures of peaceful dragons stood around it like sentinels.

Xiaoyu dropped her skateboard on the ground before taking a seat. She picked at the cotton candy distractedly, watching Jin watch the falling water. It was a wonder how such a hot, beautiful guy like him could exist and that he was actually a part of her life. That's how she liked to think of him, that he was a part of her life. But she wondered if he felt the same even a little.

"Jin?"

"Hm?" he mumbled, munching on the candy.

"Where… Where did you go… after the third tournament? You just… disappeared. I was really, really worried," she said, looking down sadly.

Jin let the sugary stuff dissolve in his mouth before answering, "Brisbane."

Xiaoyu looked up and blinked, surprised. "Brisbane…? That's in… where exactly?" she said nervously.

"Australia."

"Oh… What for?"

He set the half eaten candy on the table and pushed his hand through his hair, closing his eyes. "To train." And knowing she would ask, he went on, "I wanted to take on a different fighting style. The Mishima style wasn't working for me anymore."

The wheels in Xiaoyu's head turned. "You… just felt like a change? But wasn't it hard to completely learn a new style. From what I saw… the Mishima style was very powerful. You would just—"

"What's your reason this time?" he asked, changing subject, brows knitted a little harshly.

Xiaoyu quickly backed down, taking a mouthful of cotton candy. She didn't know if that was a good idea what with her stomach doing a few unexpected somersaults. And then she thought about his question. She didn't know if she should tell him that she wanted to get the money to build a time machine so that she could rewrite the Mishima's horrible history. Because seriously, he would probably just tell her to stay out of it and that it wasn't for her to worry about! She just couldn't help it. Her mission in life was to mend the Mishima's rifts and hopefully bring peace back to them. Knowing Jin and Heihachi personally, she couldn't help wanting them to have happiness.

"My lifelong dream… I want to have the money to build my amusement park. That's… why I've entered," she answered meekly.

Jin gave her a sidelong glance. It was a gaze that seemed to see right through her. If she was cotton candy she would've just begged to be eaten by him. _Wait a sec… That didn't quite sound…_

"Good luck."

She made a small surprised sound as she looked at him. He held her gaze for a moment before returning his attention to the fountain. Xiaoyu bowed her head a little, "Arigatou, Jin." There was a long pause, filled with the sounds of the busy park until Xiaoyu finished her "meal". Then she hopped up and yipped. "Time for some more rides! Come on!"

This time she didn't drag Jin, hoping she didn't have to, hoping he wouldn't just leave her again without a goodbye. She just stuck her skateboard to her back and ran to here and there, splurging her tickets until there was none left.

They ended up standing in the middle of a plaza. Xiaoyu was snuggling a pink teddy bear Jin had effortlessly one for her at one of the games.

"I guess we're done," Jin said, his arms crossed as he looked around.

Usually people got worn out trying to keep up with Xiaoyu, even Miharu, but Jin's stamina must've kept him conditioned. Not a hair was out of place, not counting the ones that were always out of place. Although, she still couldn't tell if he was really, truly enjoying this outing.

Grinning broadly, Xiaoyu fished out the tickets she saved for a special last activity and waved them in his face. "Not so fast! Just one more!"

"Xiaoyu, I should be getting to—"

She gasped. "No! No, no! Just this one ride! ONE more and THEN we can call it a night, okay? Pleeeease!"

He let out a sigh through his nose and reluctantly nodded.

Xiaoyu did a dance that was supposed to stay in her head but she did it anyway. Some people laughed and one guy even took a picture with his phone but she didn't care.

Seeing Jin was looking off somewhere else, she bent over Panda and whispered, "I'll meet you outside the gates Panda. This is it! Wish me luck!"

Panda let out a happy little growl and then walked off for the exit. Then Xiaoyu hooked her arm around Jin's and led him off to the Ferris wheel.

As the wheel made its stop at the top and the dazzling view was presented, Xiaoyu giggled and looked across the horizon, the lights sparkling in her big, childlike eyes. Jin didn't honestly know what it was about these places that kept Xiaoyu hooked as she was. Just looking at her now, he believed she enjoyed every visit to the amusement park as much as she did the first time. He on the other hand felt this one visit could keep his curiosity at bay for another couple years.

Although, admittedly Xiaoyu's extreme happiness was a sight to behold. She was having so much fun the compartment was swinging about as she leaned over the edges taking in the scenery from as many angles as she could. Jin finally had to tell her to settle down before the thing came off its bolts.

A minute passed of peacefulness. Then Xiaoyu looked at him, her cheeks turning pink, and quietly said, "This was fun… wasn't it? I know I had fun and I'll cherish the moments we've spent these past two hours but… How about you?"

Jin's fingers stopped drum rolling along the outside of the compartment. He shifted in his seat a little uncomfortably, wondering what his own answer was. For a while he didn't exactly like being dragged around a place that was kind of blindingly bright and brimming with noise, but after a while he didn't mind it so much. Strangely.

He looked at Xiaoyu. Then said, "It was nice."

Her smile went from ear to ear, complimenting a pretty face that was meant to be happy all the time.

When the wheel came down, they walked off to the exit along with other exhausted visitors. Outside the gates, Xiaoyu waved at Panda lying across the street next to a souvenir stand. Panda yawned and started to get up.

"Take care, Xiaoyu," Jin said.

Xiaoyu's pigtails whipped through the air as she faced him. "Oh. But—!"

"I think you should know… that even if you believe you can help the Mishimas, don't. There's nothing you can do for them… for me. You'll only end up getting hurt," he told her emotionlessly.

The solemn on her face was almost too much to bear. Across the street Panda watched, resisting the urge to go to the Chinese girl's side. She'd had the tiniest feeling something would happen to make Xiaoyu cry by the end of this night. But she'd stayed silent, hoping that tiny feeling was nothing. Now she just had to stand by while her master and best friend had her heart broken.

"I wouldn't wish for you to be harmed, Xiaoyu. You should just live your life pursuing your own dream, and find your own happiness."

Xiaoyu perked up just a little, gaze lifting to those dark, kind eyes. She did love him. She did. She always would. Now more than ever she believed that.

She looked down at her shoes, blushing as her toes turned inward. "No… I can wait, Jin." His expression was between question and reluctance. Swallowing hard, she went on, "I can wait for you to love me." His eyes widened. "But I don't think I'll ever be able to back down while you're out somewhere struggling. I know you haven't had the easiest life, Jin. I know you're still finding your way, looking for answers, trying so… so hard to find something. You don't have to… have to do it all alone, though, Jin!" she cried and threw her arms around him, tears spilling down her cheeks.

A gentle hand fell on her shoulder. She shivered and pulled herself away enough to look into his eyes. They were cast over with shadows again and the line of his mouth was turned down a bit. That look… It drove something through her. She didn't know what exactly. It was like there was a rope between them and she was losing her grip on her end, swatting at air while it disappeared into the cold darkness.

Desperately she got on her tips toes, jumped just a little and kissed him. It was her fist kiss, the one she'd always dreamed of. She prayed that it would last forever.

* * *

"Mwahaha!"

"Muhahaha!"

"No, no, you're doing it wrong!"

"Everyone does it your way! _I'm_ being original!"

"Psh. Why not Mooohaha, then? That's what you sound like!"

"Are you calling me a cow!?"

"GUYS. Would you please pay attention to what you're doing!? The last thing I need now is to end up looking like one of your childhood dolls," Julia said through gritted teeth.

Asuka looked at Rila questioningly.

"Oh, you know how girls like to play dress up with their dolls and paint them up and stuff," Rila explained, to which Asuka merely sniggered. Then she frowned at Julia. "For your information I was the neighborhood _Arteest_ when I was a tot."

Julia flatly said, "I can only imagine what neighborhood you grew up in."

"Ah-ha! Perfect!" Asuka announced, striking a triumphant pose.

Rila's expression contorted in a critical way. "Nuh-uh. You put waaay too much blush on her. You _do _know we're not sending her out to walk the streets, right?"

Asuka flushed, glaring daggers at Rila. "Why you… I did my own makeup for two big school dances _and _three big family celebrations, and everyone said I was positively beautiful! Besides, what in the hell did you do with her eye shadow? Now THAT'S what I call slutty!"

These two "makeup artists" had been at it for an hour now, and _these _were not the results Julia had been hoping for. From what they were saying, she may as well have gone makeup-less. Not to mention they were cutting it close to 9:00. Only twenty minutes and she had yet to get into her dress!

At last she convinced Rila and Asuka to compromise and their bickering came to a short end. While their indecisive faces at the end of her makeover weren't the most encouraging, she hurried to get in the dress Asuka had brought over. It was a nice one, not too formal and not plain. It was perfect for this… occasion, for lack of a better word.

"Date time!"

"He's probably gone by now," Julia murmured, feeling so deflated.

"Chin up! You can't expect much from a guy with your face all droopy like that."

Julia looked alarmed and tried to make a beeline for her closing apartment door but the other two geniuses snatched her by the arms and hurried down the hallway.

"Real smart there, Aska!"

"Don't call me that! It has too much 'ass' in it!"

Rila laughed. "Oh, can't have that now can we? Imagine a J-lo and Pam Anderson hybrid!"

Asuka poked a finger towards Rila. "I don't know who those people are but I think I know what you're trying to get at and I don't like it!"

The oh so witty banter carried on for the longest time as they took the longest walk to the outside and took the longest taxi ride to some random place on the map. Julia heard Rila say some destination but she was a little preoccupied with how she was going to approach Jin, if she'd even see him. She probably wouldn't… _I mean what are the chances? A million to one? Well, maybe not the million, but still… Damnit, I should've checked the mirror! My hair feels a little… misshapen. Please don't let them have made me out to be a total idiot clown freak… _She groaned as they took her out of the cab and continued to escort her down a peaceful street overlooking a distant beach.

"Mise mono jo nai yo!" Asuka barked at some gawking dude.

"What?" Julia whispered out of the corner of her mouth to Rila.

"'What are you looking at, buddy'," she translated with a smirk.

Julia glanced over her shoulder, her self-esteem taking another nose dive.

They walked down the street for about five minutes and Julia couldn't help but notice Rila's restless eyes dashing from here to there.

Asuka finally growled, "Hey, Rila! You'd better not have put poor Julia through all of this for nothing! Where the heck is this guy? Did you tell him where to be?"

When Rila didn't answer and just kept avoiding their eyes, Asuka jumped in front of her and demanded, "Answer!!"

"Calm down… I'm sure he's just…" Rila hesitated, sighing roughly. "Alright, let's just go down the end of this road. Maybe he got distracted by some display at the park down there. Okay Julia?" she said, looking at the other Arizonan.

In spite of herself, Julia nodded, and they continued onward. Sadly, when their promenade came to an end it wasn't sudden elation to be found. But heartbreak.

Julia saw Jin and Xiaoyu, embracing each other and…

She let out a gasp and whipped, around running back the way they came, ignoring the voices of her friends calling out to her. The reality of the moment was sealed as rain started to come down.

* * *

_Next time: A date with destiny. _


End file.
